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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...

Reasons Why Manuscripts are Rejected by Publishers

It is unfortunate, but almost every writer has to face rejection from a publisher at least once. No writer is safe from this and a very, very lucky few writers are able to land a publishing deal on their first try. A writer has to...

10 Famous Pen Names and the Real People Behind Them

Over the years, many amazing writers have chosen to use pen names instead of their real names. This decision is prompted by a number of factors including separating personal life from the author life, privacy, and creating an author brand, among others. 1. Pen name: Robert Galbraith,...

Why Start Your Own Publishing Company

Why Start Your Own Publishing Company In recent years, publishing has become more and more flexible with more authors opting for self-publishing. One does not need to open a publishing company to self-publish. However, there are several benefits to having your own publishing company. Benefits of Starting...

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Starting Your Publishing Company

Setting up a publishing company is quite easy if you follow the rules. However, if not done well, the mistakes made can have serious implications on your business or even get you in trouble with the authorities. Here Are the Five Most Common Mistakes When Setting...

How To Start A Publishing Company

How To Start A Publishing Company If you are thinking about starting your own publishing company, this guide is meant for you. There are four initial steps. Step 1: Choose The Business Structure The first step in starting your publishing company is deciding what form of company...

Choosing Your Pen Name

A pen name is a name used by an author in the place of their real name. Some authors write under their real names while others prefer to use a different name. In the second case, such a name will be the author's pen name...

Why Do Authors Use Pen Names

Some authors write under their real names while others prefer to use a different name. In the second case, such a name will be the author's pen name and it is the name that will appear on the book. A pen name is a name...

Formatting Your Book as an Ebook (Part 2)

What can you do to make sure your manuscript is properly formatted to make sure it will be legible, easy to read, and looking like a professional? In Part 1, I covered the basic concepts for why you should make sure your ebook has been...

Formatting Your Book as an Ebook (Part 1)

Publishing today is very different than it was ten or twenty years ago. Part of that reason is due to the increase in POD (Print-On-Demand) technology that helped make self-publishing a reality for many writers. The other major technological advancement during this time has been...

21 Questions to Ask a Publisher

If you are an author looking for a publisher, it is important that you reach out to the publisher and find out if you and the publisher are a good fit. This goes beyond whether they publish similar types of books. As with most relationships...