• Ever read a book you just couldn't put down? Or stayed up way too late because you couldn't stop reading? Here are 6 tips to make your book a page-turner!

    6 Tips to Make Your Book a Page-Turner

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    Have you ever read a book you just couldn’t put down? Have you ever stayed up way past your bedtime because you just couldn’t stop reading? Can you imagine your book capturing a reader like that? Here are six tips that can make your book a page-turner: 1. Write about something you are passionate about. Prayer, evangelism, your story or testimony — whatever has the most meaning to you. Passion is always the key ingredient to great writing and is very contagious. 2. Develop a compelling theme overflowing with meaning. Pick a solid message or strong story for your book…

  • 10 Steps to Becoming a Highly Effective Writer

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    Writing and procrastination might stereotypically go hand-in-hand, but no one has ever written a book by procrastinating. The only way to write a book is to write. It’s a crazy concept—I know. But if F. Scott Fitzgerald procrastinated on The Great Gatsby, none of us would even know such a book existed. So, how do we reverse procrastination, start putting words on paper, and cross the finish line? Let’s break it down. Here are 10 habits you can adopt to become a highly effective writer. Become a reader. The best writers are the best readers. Read anything and everything you can get your…

  • Writing Tips for Poets

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    Here at Xulon Press, we regularly see wonderful collections of devotional and creative poetry. Poetry is an art form that pours from the heart, encompassing a wide range of passions, from joy and thanksgiving to sorrow and grief. While poetry is both beloved and reviled, many readers feel uncertain about how to interact with such a subjective genre. Poets themselves often struggle with the balance between artistic license and necessary structure when penning their poems. To help navigate these difficulties, we have a few basic poetry tips for how to write and publish your best poetic work. Clarifying Your Intentions…

  • Developing Backstory for Your Novel

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    The backstory is an extremely important step in writing a well-developed story. Developing your protagonist’s history leading up to the story in your novel paints a picture for the reader. The way in which that backstory is used and incorporated into your novel is just as important though. When developing backstory, record it in a separate document from your manuscript. In that space, tell yourself about your protagonist. Who is he? What are his likes/dislikes? Is there an inciting moment led him to the current state of his life that readers will find him in your novel? What are his…