Should you create your own? #writetip A post by Kathy L. Hall made me think about how I spend my time during the day, and how I can be efficient with my time. Early on in my writing career a friend gave me the advice that I should create a style guide.

I use the Chicago Manual Of Style. So I thought, why do I need my own? I soon discovered it is a definite time saver. Being consistent in word usage is important. Do you use ‘toward’ or ‘towards’? You might use either, but I don’t think it should be changed within a novel or a series of novels.

Before sending my manuscript to my agent, Margaret Hart, I use my style guide as a reminder to check words I sometimes type wrong when I’m in the excitement of writing. Typing is not my strong point. I check that I’ve used their/there , your/you’re etc. in the right way. It’s not that I don’t know how to use them. It’s my fingers. They seem to type the letters on their own.