• 20 Commonly Misused Words

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    We remember it fondly from our elementary school days: if you can’t recall how to spell a word, sound it out! As adults, we might follow the same tactic when trying to rack our brains to produce that one word we know how to spell, but can’t piece together the correct letters. However, sounding out words in print instead of in conversation could lead to the right word being written, but maybe not the right meaning for the word. For example, “I’m going to take the plain” is not the correct spelling of the word needed: this form means traversing…

  • Black History Month, How to Write a Devotional, and Why We “Heart” Xulon Press.

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    And just like that, the first month of 2016 is already gone. But here on the Xulon Press blog, we’re launching headfirst into all things February. We’re inviting authors to share what they love about Xulon Press on social media using the hashtag #IHeartXP. What made you choose Xulon Press? Our award-winning designers? Perhaps you appreciate our steadfast commitment to keeping messages of hope on the shelves of bookstores around the world? Share it with us now on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram by tagging @XulonPress and using the hashtag #IHeartXP.  February is also Black History Month, which we’ll be celebrating with a couple of…

  • 5 Ways to Paint Autumn into Your Writing

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    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 to be told, they want to be shown. So, how does one show information? If we use seasons or weather as an example, which can be used for metaphorical purposes within the telling of a story, we can begin to crack the code on showing, and not telling, information to the reader. Since most of The States are experiencing autumn right now, it’s a great example…

  • Passive Voice: It’s So Passé

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      Passive voice has a time and place in writing, as it serves to be a stylistic additive in many books and papers. In some cases, people prefer passive voice in creative pieces, such as poetry and prose; however, writing in passive voice too often in your fiction and non-fiction pieces can cloud your writing. The “passive voice” can best be described as writing that quietly emphasizes the subject in the sentence, rather than the verb. It also indirectly guides the reader to a course of action or situation without a direct voice, which can leave readers scratching their heads. It…