Easy Peasy Books

083: Writing Your Book When English Isn't Your First Language with Linda Jayne Turner

Gillian Whitney Season 3 Episode 13

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0:00 | 29:31

What if the language barrier is the only thing standing between you and publishing your book? In this episode, I sit down with Linda Jayne Turner, an academic editor based in Prague who has spent over 25 years helping non-native English speakers get their work published internationally. Born in Yorkshire, educated in Scotland, and now a dual UK/Czech citizen, Linda brings a unique perspective to the conversation about writing and editing across languages and cultures.

We explore the most common fears non-native English speakers face when writing a book in English, and Linda shares practical strategies for overcoming them. From the importance of preserving author voice during the editing process to knowing when to write originally in English versus translating, Linda breaks down what it really takes to turn your expertise into a credible, professional book. I also share my own experience co-authoring "Your Voice Matters" with Tiina Järvet, whose Estonian background created fascinating word choice challenges during editing. If you've been letting language hold you back from writing your book, this episode will show you that your message matters more than perfect English.