• New Year’s Resolution: Tackling the Blank Page

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    We have all been there: that white document glowing in your face, only marked with a flashing cursor simply ticking off the seconds that you aren’t writing—that you are allowing your idea to tuck further inside of you, away from the fate that waits on the page. You have your idea, that little seed of inspiration you have carefully nurtured until a hint of a sprout peeks out, but when it comes time to coax it out into the world, you feel it shrink back into that safe space. Who can blame it? It is cozy and peaceful there, without…

  • Let the Holiday Season Inspire Your Writing

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    With less than a week until Christmas Day, we at Xulon Press are aglow with the joy that the holidays bring. As book lovers, we know just how stimulating the excitement of the holiday season can be for creative work—and, at the same time, how distracting it can be with endless to-do lists, gift buying, and traveling. Don’t let the busyness of the holiday season distract you from the writing inspiration that awaits! Here are a few ways that you can let the spirit of the season breathe life into your latest writing project: Use holiday travel as fodder for…

  • 5 Gifts You Didn’t Know Writers Wanted [hint: It’s not a notebook]

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    The holiday season is all about taking something you know and love about your friends and family and turning it into a wonderful gift that they will treasure—and you simply can’t give the writer in your life their millionth notebook! From the inspirational to the utilitarian, I have gathered together some fun, unique gift ideas that any reader or writer will love (or would make a perfect gift to yourself this year!). 1. Novel Teas Do you know a tea-loving writer? Each of these English Breakfast teabags is tagged with a literary quote. All twenty-five have quotes from a variety of…

  • Free Printable: 5 Writing Mantras to Live By Everyday

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    Most days as a writer are fun. Full of creativity, where imagination and story and folklore are limitless and boundless, and the only thing holding you back is the speed at which your fingers can type. On other days, however, the process of having to be brilliant, creative, and original can be taxing. It can leave you feeling drained, insecure, or ready to throw in the towel altogether. If there’s something we know about writing, it’s that there is no truth to those little voices telling you to quit—and the best way to combat them is to dial in to…