Shelf Potential

Canadian writers, there are now a couple of AI class actions for Canadian authors. Please check out both links below.
If you have found your books in the Books3 or LibGen DBs, you are likely to be included in the class(es).
www.cfmlawyers.ca/class-action...

www.cfmlawyers.ca/class-action...

Recent newsletter tells me there's just a few weeks left to access the 2024-2025 Fold Academy sessions
thefoldcanada.org/webinars-act...

Reminder that it is still possible to purchase 365 without Copilot, at least for the time being.

Schools that subscribe to it should also insist on the same arrangement before renewing.

a cat wearing glasses and a bow tie is sitting on a laptop Alt: a cat wearing glasses and a bow tie is sitting on a laptop

Snuck in a walk before the heat/thunder gets too bad and made coffee. Now it's time to get into #editing. Today, I'm working on a fantasy novel, which means I'll be contemplating the qualities and capabilities of spirits, demons, and other beings to make sure terminology stays consistent

A post it on a green background reads "copy edit: 140,000-word romantasy novel done"

Another #CopyEdit done! Next up: a stylistic edit on a supernatural fantasy novel ✒️

Exciting Augur news! SFF writers take note!

I'll be presenting at the Eastern Ontario Writers' Festival in September! Registration is open: www.eventbrite.ca/e/eastern-on...

Spent all day working reviewing second drafts of comic scripts, and I'm so pumped to get these into artists' hands soon! #ComicEditing

#Copyedit catch: "chalk" ➡️"chock." Always watch out for homophones, y'all ✒️

MS Evaluatoin: 65,000-word supernatural fantasy novel - done!

Finished a manuscript evaluation last week! This story had spirits, magic, demons, and some quirky worldbuilding, so it was super fun to read 📖

"fractured humorous" ➡️ "fractured humerus" #AmEditing #CopyEditing

I don't always get to see manuscripts again after I send out my edits, but when I do, it's so fun to see what changes an author has made! Y'all are so creative!

#Copyedit catch today: "deep-seeded" ➡️ "deep-seated"

Starting the work week with artist emails for the latest #comic editing project. Can't wait to see how these talented folks interpret scripts!

Date: Monday, January 13, 1992, 5:26 pm To: Byron Preiss Dear Byron, Thanks for the script of the novel. I don't know what happened to the first one. It may have been a victim of the office move (see above). I'll respond as quickly and briefly as possible. One general point. A thing I have had said to me over and over again whenever I've done public appearances and readings and so on in the States is this: Please don't let anyone Americanise it! We like it the way it is! There are some changes in the script that simply don't make sense. Arthur Dent is English, the setting is England, and has been in every single manifestation of HHGG ever. The 'Horse and Groom' pub that Arthur and Ford go to is an English pub, the 'pounds' they pay with

are English (but make it twenty pounds rather than five- inflation) So why suddenly 'Newark' instead of 'Rickmansworth'? And 'Bloomingdales' instead of 'Marks & Spencer'? The fact that Rickmansworth is not within the continental United States doesn't mean that it doesn't exist! American audiences do not need to feel disturbed by the notion that places do exist outside the US or that people might suddenly refer to them in works of fiction. You wouldn't, presumably, replace Ursa Minor Beta with 'Des Moines'. There is no Bloomingdales in England, and Bloomingdales is not a generic term for large department stores. If you feel that referring to "Marks & Spencer' might seriously freak out Americans because they haven't heard of it (or because Marks and Spencer owns Brooks Brothers) we could either put warning stickers on the cover ("The text of this book contains references to places and institutions outside the continental United States and may cause offence to people who haven't heard of them") or you could, I suppose, put 'Harrods', which most people will have heard of. Or we could even take the appalling risk of just recklessly mentioning things that people won't have heard of and see if they survive the experience. They probably will - when people are born they haven't heard of anything or anywhere, but seem to get through the first few years of their lives without ill-effects.

Haha! Love this letter from Douglas Adams to his US editor about not Americanising the text of Hitchhiker's Guide. 🐋🌸

Congratu-BLEEPING-lations!

It’s time we had a little talk about your use of expletive infixation.

‘Expletive infixation’ is the linguistic term for profanity inserted into a word for emphasis.

(For this thread, we’ll use 'BLEEPING,' but feel free to substitute another word.)

NEWS! Our annual Writing For Children Competition is now open for submissions from Canadian unpublished or self-published writers! Deadline: May 31, 2025. Entries evaluated by experienced, published #canscaip members. Guidelines on our website under the WRITING FOR CHILDREN COMPETITION tab. #kidlit #wfcc2025 #picturebook #middlegrade #youngadult

NEWS! Our annual Writing For Children Competition is now open for submissions from Canadian unpublished or self-published writers! Deadline: May 31, 2025. Entries evaluated by experienced, published #canscaip members. Guidelines on our website

#kidlit #wfcc2025 #picturebook #middlegrade #youngadult

Pit of Eden Call For Artists PIT OF EDEN is a body-horror comics anthology of short stories written by Malcolm Derikx (edited by Emily Stewart). Each story is based on the concept of transformation/change and features visuals ins...

Still looking for artists for a horror comic anthology #comics docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

AM I BEING THOROUGH, OR AM I OVERTHINKING THIS: Memoir of a Copyeditor

Image Edgar Allen Poe sits with his head in his hands, his sad face lit by the glow of a laptop. On his desk are piles of books, a guttering candle and a bust. Atop the bust sits a raven who is animatedly talking to Poe. Caption The Raven, having seen the general state of the world, realised that quothing "Nevermore." was only going to add to the gloom, and instead tried to cheer things up with a few bawdy limericks and an amusing anecdote about two badgers and a turnip.

A cartoon for @theguardian.com books.

Really important point about writing for kids!

Will Trump’s tariffs affect books? Broadly—not really, especially if you’re doing a lot in house. But there are still a few things you might want to know.

Watch the full episode on our blog at microcosm.pub/newpodcast

We come bearing good news: we are slowly but surely working towards the re-launch of Anathema Mag: Spec from the Margins, which involves expanding our team. Would you like to be part of it? (1/3)

Some PSAs for my fellow Canadian self-publishers that slip through the cracks of US-centric resources:

1. You can use your SIN to claim 0% tax withholding in the US, instead of giving them 30%.

2. Canada gives you free ISBNs. Head on over to www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/isbn-canada/...

I think this is a lovely rule for those who have a tendency to get stuck in the planning/brainstorming excitement too

In case any of my fellow creatives also needed this reminder:

This week, I'm wrapping up an urban fantasy copy edit and starting on a middle-grade mystery #AmEditing

5. Check social media:
A lot of freelance editors are on social media promoting their services. Search relevant hashtags like #CanadianPublishing or #CanLit, check bios, look for folks discussing Canadian books or Canadian publishing

4. Go to Canadian literary events:
We have so many good festivals and conventions here! They're a great place to meet folks interested in the same kinds of books as you, and some have programming specifically for networking and meeting editors www.writersunion.ca/get-publishe...