• it's time for a refresher crash course on literary devices: These are styles or tools writers can use to enhance their stories. Here are 10 of the best li..

    10 Literary Devices Defined

    - By 

    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…

  • A common mistake my editing eye has picked up on is the use of filler words. These words elongate your book but don't advance your story. Here are 10 wor...

    10 Filler Words to Cut from Your Manuscript

    - By 

    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,…

  • Sylvia Plath once said, “the worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.” We all have a hopeful goal of an achievement we think will finally get rid of that self-doubt once and for all. “If I become a bestseller,” “If I sell out,” ...

    How To Overcome Self-Doubt As A Writer

    - By 

    Sylvia Plath once said, “the worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.”  We all have a hopeful goal of an achievement we think will finally get rid of that self-doubt once and for all. “If I become a bestseller,” “If I sell out,” “If I get a positive review,” “If I win an award,” and on and on. But the truth is every writer has self-doubt. No success will ever fully eliminate that inner critic. Even author Stephen King once said, “I’m afraid of failing at whatever story I’m writing—that it won’t come up for me, or that I won’t be able…

  • By beginning and ending them in the perfect moments of your story, your chapter breaks can build suspense and keep your readers reading. Try these tips f...

    Tips For How to End a Chapter

    - By 

    At some point in writing your manuscript you’ll be faced with the decision of where you want your chapter breaks to go. How you end your chapter is especially important in a novel. By beginning and ending them in the perfect moments of your story, your chapter breaks can build suspense and keep your readers reading. For some, deciding where chapters end might be a challenging decision. Whether this is you or not, these next few tips for ending chapters are sure to be helpful for your next writing session: Don’t Include Chapters In Your Outline. A lot of writers…