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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...

Tips to Promote Your Novel Locally for Indie Authors

Indie authors have a hard time promoting their novels when they are able to publish them. Whether you self-publish your novel or you are having your novel published through a traditional publisher, you will have to promote your novel to be able to get the...

Use Proper Warnings

As authors we are responsible for the content of our work, and how we present our books, essays and articles to the world can make all the difference between having fans or a lack thereof. If you are writing fiction, adding the proper warnings is a...

10 Reasons Why People Buy Books

There are several reasons that compel people to buy books and as an author understanding these reasons helps you shape your work accordingly. Entertainment: This is especially true for fiction books. We buy such books purely to be entertained by these imaginary characters and their stories. There...

Why Your Book Needs A QR Code

Technology has changed the way people consume information and as an author, you need to acknowledge and embrace this change, especially if you are writing for the younger generation. One sure way to embrace this change is by using QR codes. What Is A QR Code? A QR...

Create an Eye-Catching One Sheet to Get Media Attention

Getting media attention can seem like a daunting task. There are numerous media sources to consider: podcasts, local and national newspapers, print and online magazines, local and national radio stations, and local and national television shows. The bigger the media outlet, the more difficult it...

Make Reading Fun For Kids - Developing A Reading Culture.

Reading is supposed to be enjoyed. Whether it is done for research, leisure or work, one should find joy in reading. Unfortunately, this is not always the case as many see reading as a task, often done because they have to. This usually comes from...

Pricing Your Book

Just as with any other products, pricing is a key factor in the success of your book. You do not want to price too high and chase away potential buyers but at the same time, you do not want to price too low and sell...

Five Easy Ways To Promote Your Favorite Author At No Cost

For most authors, especially those new in the field, promoting and marketing are very difficult and sometimes impossible. Without an established fan base and with very limited resources, pushing a new book to reach the targeted market becomes hard.  Established authors already have fans who are excited...

Genre Selection

Upon completion of a book, an author has quite a few decisions to make. The first decision is easy; whether or not to publish and if the publication should be traditional or a self-publication. When an author chooses to publish and how they want to...

Personal Branding for Writers - Part 2

Maximize social media benefits When you start to realize the opportunities afforded by social media platforms, you start taking the whole experience a bit more seriously. The avenues become a place to market your work and not just the go-to place for venting. Depending on how...