• man standing in a library doing research, Citations 101

    Citations 101: Becoming an Endnotes Rockstar

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    Writing a book or research paper is an exhaustive process in and of itself. Then suddenly, you’re finished—and what’s left for you to do? Citations. The word alone makes you hang your head with stress over accomplishing yet another tedious feat. However, citations don’t have to be difficult—especially not when you’re using endnotes. Unlike a bibliography, endnotes use superscript numbers that correspond to a numbered note on the endnotes page. Let’s take a look at how this in-text citation would appear in your manuscript: Similar to Bob Dylan, I too live “like a rolling stone,”4 but I try to keep…

  • woman sitting in front of laptop with headphones on, looking stressed; Footnotes vs. Endnotes

    Footnotes vs. Endnotes…Wait, They Aren’t the Same?

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    No, footnotes and endnotes are not the same, but both can be helpful in adding organization, structure, and even more personality to any written work, regardless of the genre. Our editorial team here at Xulon Press see footnotes and endnotes in many author’s works for several different reasons. Understanding which to use in your manuscript can help you enhance your piece and show readers that you know what you are doing. Here are some distinctive components of each that will help in choosing the right fit. Footnotes Traditionally, footnotes are utilized for academic material, like textbooks, or functional material, like…

  • bright pink background with silver glitter spilling out of a silver trophy, what is a writing contest?

    Writing Contests: What They are and How to Write a Winning Submission

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    Writing contests can be a great way to challenge yourself, hone your writing skills, and even win prizes. All writing contests are unique, too, which makes it fun to enter more than one. To make sure writing competitions are fair, contests often have specific guidelines and themes that writers must follow to be eligible to win. These guidelines can include word count limits, genre restrictions, and specific topics or themes that must be incorporated into each submission. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know to prepare for your next online writing contest. What is an Online Writing Contest?…

  • man reaching hand out with palm up, how to write a self-help book

    How to Write a Helpful Self-Help Book: 7 Key Steps

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    Whether you’re an expert in your field or just have a passion for helping others, self-publishing a self-help book can be a rewarding experience. For a self-help book to be helpful for readers though, it needs to hit some key points. Your back cover copy needs to clearly identify the issue your book will address and your content needs to make it easy for readers to put your advice into action in their own lives. Here are seven key points every self-help book needs for it to be helpful: 1. Identify the Issue Your Self-Help Book Will Address The first…