• 15 Phrases that Signal Your Writing Went Off Topic

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    Throughout my experience as an editor, I’ve found that nonfiction writers are more inclined to go off topic than fiction writers. I believe passion plays a huge role in writers’ rabbit holes, tangents, and off-topic stories or anecdotes. When writers are angry, allow their personal biases to seep through their work, or let their passions run wild on paper, that is when I see writers jump the tracks from the purpose of their book and digress into uncharted territory. Over the years, I’ve heard writers defend their side topics. “But it adds color to my writing,” they will say, or…

  • 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…