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 Ten Rules When Creating an Author Website

An author website is a powerful marketing tool. It’s where readers go to find out more about you and your books. Therefore, it is crucial that your website portrays you in a pleasing light and that you lead (or link) readers to where they can...

Should Every Author Have Their Own Website?

In the Internet age, there are various ways by which authors, especially those who are just starting out, can reach out to their audience. An author website is just one of these. Is having a website beneficial to an author? Why and why not? Do...

The Process of Making a Compelling Book Trailer

Book trailers are a great way to gain attention for a book. They may be hard work initially, but once a book trailer is done and distributed, it sells your book while you lie back and relax. Here’s a step-by-step guide to the process of...

How to Create an Eye Catching Book Promo Campaign

So you wrote a book, found a publisher, and had the book published. That’s great! Congratulations! Now you’re thinking you can just sit back and wait for the cash flow. Hold that thought. Just because you have a publisher doesn’t mean you don’t have to...

Should Authors Ask For Book Reviews?

Book reviews tell people that your book is worth buying and has value; they also give your book credibility and that is very important. People who are not familiar with your works will often base their decision on whether to buy your book or not...

Do It Yourself Book Trailers

Creating book trailers is one of the most popular advertising methods being used today by authors and publishers alike to promote their books. They are essentially short videos that are composed of images, sound and video clips that show a general summary of what the...

About Author Platforms And How Agents And Editors Interact With Them

Most people have no idea what an author platform is because it is a term often used by nonfiction writers. Other writers that can also be included based on their platforms are memoir and novel writers. The term author platform is a term that is...

How Authors Use Public Speaking to Increase Their Following

Public speaking is a form of communication that involves the act of talking to a group or crowd of people. It is a personal or one-on-one interaction between an individual and his audience. Public speaking is often used if one wants to inform, educate and...

Book Promotion Advice

Book promotion is quite a tricky and demanding process, but is very much necessary in order for authors to sell their books. For self-publishing authors, this is a critical step they need to undertake to create awareness of their book and make a sale. Even...

Is Book Promotion For Self-Published Authors a Waste Of Time?

Book promotion for self-published authors is definitely not a waste of time. People cannot buy a book if they don’t know it exists, that is why book promotion is a necessity. It generates interest in and awareness of your book, allowing you to reach out...