Popular Posts on the Xulon Press Blog

From the last 7 days…

Said Is Dead: 141 Synonyms for “Said”
540 views | by Elaine Retty | posted on June 13, 2019
You are doing everything possible to make your writing better, tighter, and more interesting, but are you still using “dead words?” These are words that are simply just too plain, bland, and vague to ...

5 Ways to Paint Autumn into Your Writing
46 views | by Erika Bennett | posted on October 27, 2015
How to Write About Fall There's a reason one of the first pieces of advice any professional offers to a new writer forging ahead on the publishing journey is, "Show, don't tell." Readers don't want t...

Well Looky Here! 75 Different Synonyms for the Word “Look”
27 views | by Blair Townley | posted on May 16, 2019
It's easy to find yourself stuck when writing—you want to add color, depth, and description to your writing, but that requires, well, you know, words. Sometimes those words are hard to conjure up! ...

From the last 30 days…

Said Is Dead: 141 Synonyms for “Said”
1,300 views | by Elaine Retty | posted on June 13, 2019
You are doing everything possible to make your writing better, tighter, and more interesting, but are you still using “dead words?” These are words that are simply just too plain, bland, and vague to ...

How to Write a Captivating Short Story
203 views | by Daylin | posted on January 12, 2023
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a short story is defined as an invented narrative that's shorter than a novel, deals with a few characters, and often concentrates on the creation of m...

5 Ways to Paint Autumn into Your Writing
154 views | by Erika Bennett | posted on October 27, 2015
How to Write About Fall There's a reason one of the first pieces of advice any professional offers to a new writer forging ahead on the publishing journey is, "Show, don't tell." Readers don't want t...

All time…

Said Is Dead: 141 Synonyms for “Said”
94,832 views | by Elaine Retty | posted on June 13, 2019
You are doing everything possible to make your writing better, tighter, and more interesting, but are you still using “dead words?” These are words that are simply just too plain, bland, and vague to ...

How to Show Emphasis Without Typing in All-Capitals
24,872 views | by Taylor Graham | posted on January 23, 2015
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, mi...

Writing Tips: 5 Things Every Devotional Should Contain
18,475 views | by Taylor Graham | posted on February 19, 2016
One of the most popular types of manuscripts we publish at Xulon Press is a devotional. While a writing a devotional may sound like a simple task, there are many that lack the basic “bones” every ...

Ask the Editor: How to Outline a Non-Fiction Book
16,845 views | by Erika Bennett | posted on March 7, 2013
If you asked me to list the three fears I picked up in high school English, they would be diagramming sentences, red ink and outlining. I’ve never gotten past my red ink complex, but I can now see the...

15 Things Every Writer Needs On Their Desk
15,663 views | by Erika Bennett | posted on August 6, 2019
Painters need a canvas, paint, paintbrushes, and a rolling landscape begging to be painted. Musicians need an instrument, quarter notes on sheet music, and an audience to play for. What do writers...