• How to Create a Visual Experience in Your Writing

    When writing, it’s so easy to get bogged down with dialogue, plot lines, verb tense, and comma placement. We can get so caught up with that we can forget to push our creative boundaries. Becoming fixated on punctuation can cause our descriptions to go flat. Other times, we may avoid using symbolism in writing because it feels too advanced for the current writing level. It’s easy to stick to what you know. If your manuscript is starting to feel like dialogue mixed in with a bunch of bland back story, give symbolism, description, and color a try. Here are our…

  • 10 Literary Devices Defined

    If I had to guess, I’d say you probably haven’t heard the term “literary device” since high school English class. Well now that you’re writing a book it’s time for a refresher crash course. Literary devices are styles or tools writers can use to enhance their stories. Some literary devices are meant to add a deeper intellectual level to your writing whereas others are meant to strengthen characters and your book’s theme. If your writing feels a little flat, play around with the following 10 literary devices: 1. Allegory A narrative type that helps writers communicate more than what appears…

  • 10 Filler Words to Cut from Your Manuscript

    Editing your own writing will never be the easiest part of the writing journey, but knowing what to look for can make the task a whole lot simpler. Working with the publishing company Xulon Press for a decade now has taught me a lot to say the least. A common mistake my editing eye has picked up on is what I like to call the use of filler words. Excessive use of these words elongates your manuscript but does not advance your story.  As a rule of thumb, avoid using words that end in -ly, such as quickly, readily, suddenly,…

  • Said Is Dead: 141 Synonyms for “Said”

    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 be included in your awesome writing. One of the most notorious “dead words” is “said.” But dialogue is important! I hear you. It is also important to show readers exactly how something is communicated. Think: what emotion is behind this dialogue? What picture do I want to paint? This is where synonyms come in handy.  To help you get started, we compiled a list of alternatives to the dreaded “said.” With this…