Writing in UK English, US English

 One of the first things I was told when self-publishing was,
“Make sure you write in US English. Your largest audience is the US and the US readers will murder you if you use UK English as they see it as wrong.”
So, I went through the three books in my series, 150K words each and changed them from UK English which is Australian spelling, into US English. Perhaps this was a good idea as a beginning author.
However, in hindsight, I kind of regret it. I should have just published in UK English.
Why?
Not because UK English is technically the one that is correct. ENGlish came from ENGland, US spelling in truth is “incorrect”. I don’t see this as a major problem. Not in the slightest as far as writing and publishing goes. And as far as the US readers are concerned it is correct for them. I do get a big laugh when someone from the US tells someone from England their spelling is incorrect, that’s funny. But if your intention is to please the larger US audience, then use US English.
The reason I should have used UK English is that this is what comes naturally to me, it suits my Australian-ised writing style. It suits me. It was what I was brought up with. It rolls off my keyboard far more easily.

My next trilogy is already written in US English. Ready to publish. But thinking ahead, the next book I write will be in very, very Australian English. Because my next series will be set in Australia. Really looking forward to this.

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