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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...
How To Make The Most Of Printing Services For Self-Publishers
In no way has the rise of ebooks eliminated the demand for paperback. And neglecting readers who prefer to feel the pages between their fingers means missing out on many sales opportunities. So printing your book is a brilliant choice if you’re hoping to make...
Exploring The Options Available With Printed-On-Demand Services
Print-on-demand services have revolutionized the publishing and distribution process. It has given rise to many self-publishing authors and made being an indie author a very profitable option. But choosing the right one that fits your needs can be difficult without knowing what they have to...
Understanding Offset Printing Services
As a self-publishing author, when you decide to print physical copies of your book, the number of printing services available to self-publishing authors can make the process overwhelming. This article elaborates on these options to help you find the type of service best fitted for...
What Is a Library of Congress Control Number (LCCN)?
A Library of Congress Control Number, or LCCN, is an identification number on the copyright page that contains the year a book was published and its unique serial number. The Library of Congress assigns the numbers to books before they are published if the people...
Is It Worth Putting Your Books in KU
When it comes to self-publishing, Amazon offers a unique opportunity to authors with Kindle Unlimited. The program was designed to offer readers a cheaper option to buying books every month, while still ensuring that authors get paid for their work. Readers pay a set amount per...
Three Things You Shouldn't Do Yourself
Nobody is good at everything, and sometimes you need help to make your book the best it can be. It’s important to know your limits and to admit when it’s time to outsource things. We all have our gifts, and sometimes we need to tap...
Setting Your Book's Price
So, you’ve written a bestseller, contracted for an eye-catching book cover, and completed the interior design and layout of your book. As you go to set up your book at the distributor of your choice, such as Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) or Ingram-Spark, you...
How To Publish Your Ebook On Amazon
Kindle Direct Publishing or KDP is one of the most convenient ways of self-publishing. One can easily publish a book on KDP with just a few simple steps. But these simple steps can become daunting. Sometimes, even after following all the steps correctly, one might...
What to Do Before Submitting Your Manuscript to a Publisher/ Literary agent
You have completed writing your novel so what next? It’s time to get your book published. I assume you have already made up your mind about whether you are going to self-publish or take the traditional route of publishing. If you decide to publish traditionally, then you...
What To Expect After Submitting Your Query Letter
You have finished writing your manuscript and you think it’s time you got your book published. Supposing you choose the traditional way of publishing, you have two choices. Your first choice is to contact a literary agent. Your second choice is to directly contact a...