A mini guide to improving and editing your own work prior to engaging an experienced editor. Raise the standard of your work by learning about key writing elements such as: sense of time and place, characters, dramatic moments, dialogue, and speech tags, 'ing' words, punctuation, grammar, and many more. Barbara Unkovic is a professional, freelance copy editor, proofreader and manuscript assessor. She holds a Master of Creative Writing (hons) and various editing qualifications. A member of the Chartered Institute of Editors and Proofreaders (CIEP) UK, she is also the author of fifteen published books and the recipient of forty writing awards. "Absolutely what I need before I wrote my first book. Thorough, easy to understand, sharp and concise." E.F. Holt. "Forget YouTube and the Internet, it's all here, accurate and helpful advice from a skilled trustworthy editor." Alastair Carthew. "A must have for every author. A perfect guide to making your writing shine." Alex Thornbury.