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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

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)

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...

Advertising Options

With the world becoming increasingly technological, everyone turns to the internet for practically everything. Even authors looking to market their newest book will turn to social media or marketing agencies for help. Don’t misunderstand this for meaning that making good use of the internet is...

Why Positive Thinking is Vital to Writers

As I read various articles on the fundamentals of writing, I sometimes wonder how a person can actually feel confident enough to take the first step and put pen to paper. How can they change their mindset enough to believe in their abilities? So, I decided...

The 5 Step Formula to Setting Goals

I have just read a novel written by a friend of mine. As I tried to convince her that she should publish the novel, I realized that her dream would never be accomplished. Why? Because she was not only making excuses but had no clear...

Free Marketing Ideas for Authors

Marketing your book is hard work, but unfortunately, there is no way around it. If readers don't know your book exists, then they cannot buy it. So how can you make the most of marketing? By looking into free opportunities and using them alongside paid...

4 Ways to Boost Your Ebook Marketing for Increased Sales

The market is ripe for indie authors who are using online retailing giants to share their craft with readers. With the best platforms and a little hard work, indie authors can nail the marketing game with their well-timed advertisements. This is one of the reasons...

Marketing Ideas for Authors to Hype Their Upcoming Novels

Many authors fail at finding the perfect time to market their upcoming novels and when they start, they find that the time for a bigger impact is long gone. Some experts say that an author should start with the pre-release marketing a good three years...

Marketing Companies - Real or Scam?

Scams are an unfortunate part of our society and undoubtedly your career as an author. There are many companies designed to help you with the writing, publishing, reviewing, marketing, and advertising of your new book. However, not all of the companies are legitimate and that can...

Does a Writer Need a Publicist? (Part 2 of 2)

A downside to a publicity service is that you may not be able to recoup your investment. The upside is that if you are seriously treating your writing as a career and business, good publicity will help create reader awareness and help put your book...

Does a Writer Need a Publicist? (Part 1 of 2)

Writing a great book takes time and commitment, even for the most prolific authors. Writing is the first step toward the fulfillment of seeing your masterpiece in print. Writing, for the most part, may be a solitary exercise, but the process of conceiving a story...

Growing Your Newsletter Followers

Congratulations! You’ve just finished your newsletter. You’ve spent hours painstakingly designing it and redesigning it, making sure the content made sense. You even offered a great deal at the end of it. You got your sign up link, and now you’re ready to promote the...