Ask the Editor

Establishing Rapport and Credibility

One of the things I find myself telling authors–especially those who have written nonfiction books with Xulon—is that they must establish rapport and credibility with their readers before anyone begins reading their book. This is vital for a number of reasons, but perhaps the most important reason is that as an author, you want any […]

Why We Write: To Leave a Legacy

Filed in Ask the Editor by Blair Townley on February 11, 2015 • 0 Comments

What do you think about when you hear the word “legacy”? Synonyms relating to this word include inheritance, birthright, heirloom, etc. A legacy doesn’t have to be a tangible object; it can also be a treasured word of wisdom, funny anecdote or memory that offers a valuable piece of advice. Could your life story be […]

Introducing Xulon’s New Editorial Critique Service

Filed in Ask the Editor by Taylor Graham on January 27, 2015 • 3 Comments

In 2014, the most helpful feedback that the editorial department received from our authors was that they wished they could have received more in-depth feedback on their manuscripts prior to going into editing and production. The manuscript review was of course helpful, but it wasn’t the thorough read-through and analyzation of a book’s content, structure, characterization, and so […]

How to Show Emphasis Without Typing in All-Capitals

Filed in Ask the Editor, Writing Tips by Taylor Graham on January 23, 2015 • 4 Comments

As an editor here at Xulon Press, I have read hundreds of manuscripts. Maybe even thousands. However, the top three things that I’ve seen on a consistent basis is: overuse of the exclamation point, misuse of the semicolon, and capitalizing words and phrases in order to convey emphasis to the reader. While we’ve covered the […]

Top Secret or Not: Sharing Your Writing with Others

Filed in Ask the Editor by Erika Bennett on January 21, 2015 • 0 Comments

There is a common writing stereotype doing more harm than good for the writing community. Writing is not, and should not be viewed as a solitary confinement type of punishment. The task of sitting down to write has been glorified as this painful and disparaging task that segregates the writer from the rest of their […]