Author Services

Author Articles

Hundreds of Helpful Articles

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...

Top Mistakes That Authors Make When Writing Query Letters

The following are some of the most common mistakes that get authors’ query letters tossed aside. Cheesy lead: An author should minimize cheesy rhetorical questions and comments in a query letter. It is better to lead with facts or else a reader might interpret it as...

How To Find The Best Agent For Your Book

What is the next step after you finish a book? How do you find an agent who will be interested in your book? It can be a daunting task if you do not know where to start. It is becoming easier to get an agent,...

How to Find a Literary Agent

You have finished your manuscript and edited your book to perfection. What is the next step? Well, if you want to publish your book the obvious next step is to find a literary agent to secure that publishing deal; the difficulty lies in how to...