Thank you to Julie Blake for the idea for this blog with her comment on Facebook where it was suggested her books in American English, grammar etc.

English and Grammar can be a nightmare for many authors today, especially in the Independent Author world. Even the words in the above image can be added to:-

G’day Mate, Hiya, Ello, Low, Ta-ra, Catch you later, Cya, See you later….The list goes on.

In the traditional publishing world the majority of books are published in US English, spelling and grammar. In the Indie Author world we stick with what we know. I write in British English 90% of the time though I will use words from the different countries the books are set:- aka Mum or Mom. As for Grammar I have a good example of different beta readers having issues from different English-speaking countries. Not enough comma’s or to many. It is mind-blowing

What I am looking into is designing a logo to put on the front of my books stating they are in British English so readers know from the start that words aren’t misspelt and the grammar is correct.

What I would like to find are some Editors who know the World of English and Grammar. This means they know all the different spellings and grammar associated with each English-speaking country…Including Australia and New Zealand.  Are there any out there?  I haven’t found one yet.  What I have found though is Editors missing spelling mistakes for the English country they are Editing for.  I don’t know whether to laugh or cry over this.

I’d like to see historical novels set in Britain written in British English and at least using some of the words associated with the times. Imagine a book set in Regency times and the American English hits you between the eyes. It is annoying that Trad Publishers to this or insist their authors write in US English.  One Editor once told me in general books are or should be written in American English but the conversations written in the dialect or English of the person speaking. This totally threw me. 

English is so confusing now that many of us will never had perfectly edited books because a reader will review and find something…And generally this is because they don’t know the differences, this especially applies to the younger generation. Do they know about the ize/ise words? It makes me wonder how the English language will develop in the future.