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Book Review & Contest Insights from Real Reviews and Submissions
What separates great books from the rest? Below are articles with insights from real reviews and contest submissions—what works, what doesn’t, and how to improve your book. You’ll also find a wide range of articles covering writing, publishing, marketing, and more. Each article has a Comments section so you can read advice from other authors and leave your own.
Why Some Books Win Awards (And Most Don’t) — Insights From Real Contest Submissions New!
What separates award-winning books from the rest? After evaluating contest submissions across a wide range of genres, certain patterns become clear. Some books consistently rise to the top. Others, even with strong ideas and clear effort behind them, fall short. The difference is rarely dramatic—it...
What We’ve Learned From Reviewing Hundreds of Thousands of Books (And Why Most Don’t Stand Out) New!
After reviewing and evaluating books across thousands of submissions over the past two decades, certain patterns become impossible to ignore. Some books immediately stand out to reviewers. Others—even well-intentioned ones—fade into the middle or fall short. The difference is rarely luck. It comes down to...
Persuasive Writing Techniques
As we read different articles and books every day and take in so much information, there are messages and written work that stick with us and never go away. It seems to linger on and we keep referring to this information that we read somewhere, sometimes even years back. As writers, we strive to leave an impact, an effect with our readers. Discussed in this article are specific ways that you can incorporate into your writing to help you connect with your audience and have them coming back for more.
Solve Emotional Issues
When writing, refer to the emotional pain that a character may be experiencing and explore it. A reader is more likely to read writing that they can relate to. They may be more open to keep reading and find out how the issue was resolved so that they can apply it in their own lives. Creating characters that appeal to audiences emotionally is definitely one of the most effective writing techniques.
Write Confidently
Powerful language and words that make readers believe in what you are saying is another way you can make your writing more appealing. This means you need to understand what you are writing about and your expertise should show through the language that you use as well as your descriptions and explanations. This is especially important in non-fiction work that seeks to provide factual information regarding a particular topic. Avoid vague words like ‘seem’, ‘probably’, or ‘maybe’ that make the reader think you are not sure of what you are talking about.
Explain why the Topic is Important to You
This will provide a point of connection between you and your readers. Readers want to understand the background of the story and what inspired a writer to tell a particular story. This will make your writing stand out from others as it can be attributed to you alone and the experiences you have been through.
Remember the Impact of Tone
Use tonal variations in your writing to convey different messages. Tone helps differentiate various characters, themes and lessons contained in the book. It helps a reader identify what is most important to the author in the book. It gives characters their authenticity and helps in making them feel real. Tone can also evoke different emotions at different points in the storyline and when used effectively it can create a lasting impact on the reader.
Use Rhetorical Questions
This gives the reader a chance to think about an answer before reading your response. Ultimately, rhetorical questions make a reader feel involved in the reading process. It makes reading conversational and inclusive which is an effective way of ensuring your reader stays interested in what they are reading.
In the end, persuasive writing can be achieved by different methods. Some may work for particular styles and not others. As a writer, learning to weigh different options and applying the chosen method effectively can take some practice. You can consider applying each method gradually as you assess which one works for you.
Written by Readers’ Favorite Reviewer Edith Wairimu