“I’ve decided to write a book this year.” “Congratulations! What is your book about?” Oh yeah, that part. Shuffle feet. Stare at feet. Clear throat. Stall. “Well, I have a few ideas…” It’s a dilemma every writer faces: how do you choose what to write your book about? Particularly if you have more than one good idea? In the first article of the new Xulon “Ask the Editor” series, we’ve got some tips and tricks to help you get started! First, do you truly have two (or more) different book subjects? Or are they intertwined? Often, I hear authors say,…

Have you ever held a lump of coal in your hand? It’s rough, nondescript and unappealing. Although it’s hard to imagine, that same lump in your hand could have worked its way from dustiness into the clean, glittering transparency of a diamond – but what would it have taken to transform it? Pressure and time.  Lots of pressure, over many years, but there’s no way to skip those two steps. If you want diamonds, you must have pressure and time. As already-published authors or would-be writers, you’re aware of those two elements within the creative process. You’re familiar with how…