<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[Jess Lawrence]]></title><description><![CDATA[jesslawrence]]></description><link>https://www.jesslawrence.co.uk/blog-1</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Wed, 11 Mar 2026 00:51:24 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.jesslawrence.co.uk/blog-feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[What does 'write what you know' mean?]]></title><description><![CDATA[You’ve heard this phrase, haven’t you? It crops up in writing circles all the time, and I’ve definitely used it in my developmental reports on more than one occasion. Write what you know. Such a simple little line, only four words, and yet I would argue that it’s probably one of the most misinterpreted pieces of writing advice there is.

So let’s break it down. What does ‘write what you know’ mean?]]></description><link>https://www.jesslawrence.co.uk/post/what-does-write-what-you-know-mean</link><guid isPermaLink="false">694316ada79f8c9ba2ad13cc</guid><category><![CDATA[Writing advice]]></category><pubDate>Wed, 17 Dec 2025 21:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7ea6f6_61f6234b5bc0412aa047228e5e563d24~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_930,h_465,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Jess Lawrence</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[How to use comp titles for querying]]></title><description><![CDATA[Comp titles are something a lot of writers stress about, but you really needn't overthink them. Here's why.]]></description><link>https://www.jesslawrence.co.uk/post/how-to-use-comp-titles-for-querying</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68e78e794bab99a046395fcf</guid><category><![CDATA[Publishing]]></category><pubDate>Wed, 08 Oct 2025 23:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7ea6f6_a27b11101fc345298cefa011a4f98e9f~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_930,h_465,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Jess Lawrence</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[How do I know when my book is ready?]]></title><description><![CDATA[How do you convince yourself your book is ready in a world where there's no such think as 'perfect'?]]></description><link>https://www.jesslawrence.co.uk/post/how-do-i-know-when-my-book-is-ready</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6818b6472baa9da13e9b4294</guid><category><![CDATA[Writing advice]]></category><pubDate>Sun, 04 May 2025 23:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7ea6f6_7b42b407af7e4efd8a2e056d56acc0ff~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_930,h_465,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Jess Lawrence</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[When is the best time to query agents?]]></title><description><![CDATA[When you factor in book fairs and seasonal holidays, when is the best time of year to query agents?]]></description><link>https://www.jesslawrence.co.uk/post/when-is-the-best-time-to-query-agents</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6752dbce36d7c37699acb6cb</guid><category><![CDATA[Publishing]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 06 Dec 2024 11:26:14 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7ea6f6_63e93573f61041d7b700a5ba83d8ffd9~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_930,h_465,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Jess Lawrence</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[What makes a good ending?]]></title><description><![CDATA[There’s nothing quite like the disappointment of a bad ending to a story. You’ve invested all that time in reading, only for the finale...]]></description><link>https://www.jesslawrence.co.uk/post/what-makes-a-good-ending</link><guid isPermaLink="false">66a8bdc845eeb54902e2571c</guid><category><![CDATA[Writing advice]]></category><pubDate>Mon, 29 Jul 2024 23:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7ea6f6_7151a56cf71c4cfbad14b2c6f0b8eccb~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_930,h_465,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Jess Lawrence</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[What is a style guide?]]></title><description><![CDATA[A style guide tracks all stylistic decisions for a manuscript, and it can save you a lot of hassle as you write and edit your work.]]></description><link>https://www.jesslawrence.co.uk/post/what-is-a-style-guide</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6659a9a5743b8a64f5438e0a</guid><category><![CDATA[Publishing]]></category><category><![CDATA[Writing advice]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 20 Jun 2024 06:00:17 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7ea6f6_dcc3cb923b51439d94c3f7fadd85c0fd~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_930,h_465,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Jess Lawrence</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[What's the ideal chapter length?]]></title><description><![CDATA[How long should your chapters be? I’ve seen this question asked many times, and the answer is, unfortunately, not so straightforward.]]></description><link>https://www.jesslawrence.co.uk/post/whats-the-ideal-chapter-length</link><guid isPermaLink="false">664b363f1ea50827ae16be17</guid><category><![CDATA[Writing advice]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 31 May 2024 09:25:22 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7ea6f6_9c0de9dd549e4c199fe526d724d9aaec~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_930,h_465,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Jess Lawrence</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Character development: wants and needs]]></title><description><![CDATA[Good character development consists of a few elements, but the big one is wants and needs.]]></description><link>https://www.jesslawrence.co.uk/post/character-development-wants-and-needs</link><guid isPermaLink="false">65ba77ede6e097aca2a1fe4d</guid><category><![CDATA[Writing advice]]></category><pubDate>Wed, 31 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7ea6f6_f8d5f51744734520ad8915c65009dc42~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_930,h_465,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Jess Lawrence</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[What does 'progress' look like?]]></title><description><![CDATA[For those who’ve struggled to get words on the page, this one’s for you...]]></description><link>https://www.jesslawrence.co.uk/post/what-does-progress-look-like</link><guid isPermaLink="false">63b04a649ed9bf25b7f01857</guid><category><![CDATA[Writing advice]]></category><pubDate>Sat, 31 Dec 2022 14:59:26 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7ea6f6_c30e9a0185a34927a9dd0f0eb01c8963~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_930,h_465,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Jess Lawrence</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[How to tackle an editor's feedback]]></title><description><![CDATA[Alright, you just got your manuscript back from your editor. You’re filled with nervous excitement, perhaps a little bit of dread. What...]]></description><link>https://www.jesslawrence.co.uk/post/how-to-tackle-an-editors-feedback</link><guid isPermaLink="false">62bc7750fbb7a7a2c662e83f</guid><pubDate>Thu, 25 Aug 2022 06:30:08 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7ea6f6_89c71331202e43f7b618c10abc4be5c5~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_930,h_465,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Jess Lawrence</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[How to use Word's Track Changes]]></title><description><![CDATA[Track Changes is one of Word's most useful features – here's how to get the most out of it.]]></description><link>https://www.jesslawrence.co.uk/post/how-to-use-word-track-changes</link><guid isPermaLink="false">628a559fb63b830cc5ceffd7</guid><category><![CDATA[Writing advice]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 28 Jul 2022 06:00:09 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7ea6f6_a9cd1a5b696b4d30ab43d731492faad2~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_930,h_465,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Jess Lawrence</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Author Chat: Genevieve Puttay]]></title><description><![CDATA[Gen Puttay recently signed with her agent for her fabulously spooky MG horror – check out her querying journey.]]></description><link>https://www.jesslawrence.co.uk/post/author-chat-genevieve-puttay</link><guid isPermaLink="false">62bb452c52c4e66dfe000e5a</guid><category><![CDATA[Publishing]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 30 Jun 2022 06:00:15 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7ea6f6_f96bd665e82642ecb73f5b219d56d780~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_930,h_465,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Jess Lawrence</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[How I copy-edit a novel]]></title><description><![CDATA[A few writers have asked what the process is for copy-editing a novel, so I'm sharing the steps I follow to shed some light.]]></description><link>https://www.jesslawrence.co.uk/post/how-i-copy-edit-a-novel</link><guid isPermaLink="false">628a60c660a9e74ce3ed5e8e</guid><category><![CDATA[Publishing]]></category><pubDate>Wed, 25 May 2022 07:00:30 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7ea6f6_4fc95d3035d24a4095e62e5b70250ac4~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_930,h_465,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Jess Lawrence</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[How to give good feedback on writing]]></title><description><![CDATA[Whether you’re a beta reader, editor or a friend offering to read over a writer’s manuscript, it’s crucial to know how to give good feedback]]></description><link>https://www.jesslawrence.co.uk/post/how-to-give-good-feedback-on-writing</link><guid isPermaLink="false">623f538957e1e08e512f44fd</guid><category><![CDATA[Writing advice]]></category><pubDate>Sun, 27 Mar 2022 09:00:10 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7ea6f6_240a347260d449649cd9e62d14f78199~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_930,h_465,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Jess Lawrence</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Do you need followers to get published?]]></title><description><![CDATA[Does your social media presence influence your chances of getting published?]]></description><link>https://www.jesslawrence.co.uk/post/do-you-need-followers-to-get-published</link><guid isPermaLink="false">61b4e1f962f9ed0016e64220</guid><category><![CDATA[Publishing]]></category><pubDate>Sat, 11 Dec 2021 18:10:42 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7ea6f6_65ab1aef0edf41bb9351a3e190b253e8~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_930,h_465,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Jess Lawrence</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Should you write for the market?]]></title><description><![CDATA[If you want to make money from writing, it makes sense to write what's popular. But is it really as easy as that?]]></description><link>https://www.jesslawrence.co.uk/post/should-you-write-for-the-market</link><guid isPermaLink="false">614adce111b427001636aedb</guid><pubDate>Wed, 22 Sep 2021 08:01:36 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7ea6f6_b05c991892064e84b8788eca292bd0d9~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_930,h_465,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Jess Lawrence</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[The two important 'C's of copy-editing]]></title><description><![CDATA[Should you use US or UK spelling? Single quotes for dialogue or double? Italics for thoughts? Find out all you need to know here.]]></description><link>https://www.jesslawrence.co.uk/post/the-two-important-cs-of-copy-editing</link><guid isPermaLink="false">60fa9345e9403300159f6f46</guid><category><![CDATA[Writing advice]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 23 Jul 2021 10:22:43 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7ea6f6_7aa5e10f73d4412bb07984360983ca76~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_930,h_465,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Jess Lawrence</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[3 factors that influence the cost of editing]]></title><description><![CDATA[There are three key factors that I take into account when I create a quote for editing. Here's what they are...]]></description><link>https://www.jesslawrence.co.uk/post/3-factors-that-influence-the-cost-of-editing</link><guid isPermaLink="false">609a70147f80c100157413b1</guid><category><![CDATA[Writing advice]]></category><category><![CDATA[Publishing]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 25 May 2021 04:45:10 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7ea6f6_6aa5e0680b61445187e0f1eaac82578c~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_930,h_465,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Jess Lawrence</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Thou shalt not use adverbs... often]]></title><description><![CDATA[Adverbs get a bad rap, but they aren't always terrible. So let's look at how to use them well.]]></description><link>https://www.jesslawrence.co.uk/post/thou-shalt-not-use-adverbs-often</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6097a4440474b60015ec3d0f</guid><category><![CDATA[Writing advice]]></category><pubDate>Sun, 09 May 2021 09:27:28 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7ea6f6_c0eb1ec8c32b4780b88774695a18236d~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_930,h_465,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Jess Lawrence</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Author Chat: Katherine Macdonald]]></title><description><![CDATA[As part of my series of author interviews, I’ve caught up with Katherine Macdonald, self-published author of nine books.]]></description><link>https://www.jesslawrence.co.uk/post/author-chat-katherine-macdonald</link><guid isPermaLink="false">60376fed678384002db1a825</guid><category><![CDATA[Publishing]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 09 Mar 2021 07:25:02 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7ea6f6_df14aa3994264f04888bd66bf9d98d18~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_930,h_465,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Jess Lawrence</dc:creator></item></channel></rss>