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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 for Writing a Draft that Helps in Finishing the Novel Quickly

Writing the rough draft of your novel can be a little difficult, especially if you are following a guide that you found online. Writing a draft can never have a one-size-fits-all approach, in fact, it is the worst approach you can have. Every plot is...

Are You Ready to Become a Writer?

So, you have a dream of becoming a writer as a full-time career, whether you have always loved to write and have a deep yearning to make your dream a reality. Or, maybe friends and family have always remarked what a great storyteller you are....

Revising Your Manuscript - Breaking it Down to Build it Up

Breaking your manuscript down, just to build it back up again – sounds crazy, doesn’t it? Actually, never has anything made more sense. To do so, you will have to put down your writer’s pen and look at your manuscript through the eyes of an...

Hallmarks for a Successful Plot that Snags the Attention of Readers

Writing a successful plot is not easy, even for the most seasoned writer. There comes a time when even the most experienced authors struggle at writing a plot that is perfect in every aspect. To be able to write a plot that appeals to readers...

How To Show Emotion In Your Characters

Writing emotion effectively can be quite complex, but it is a vital part of writing engaging fiction. To draw the reader into the world of your characters means pulling on their heartstrings and evoking emotion. That is how you become a masterful novelist. There are three...

How to Write an Engaging Short Story

Trying to write a full-length novel can be daunting. This is why many writers begin their writing career by creating short stories. If you launch your career with short stories, it will highlight areas, obstacles, and questions you may have. If you are going to...

Common Spelling and Grammatical Errors

Writing can be tricky, and even professional editors can miss a few errors. So, here are some tips to help you write right, with some common spelling and grammar mistakes. I before E except after C, right? Unless it says "ay" as in "neighbor and weigh",...

Good Habits For Freelance Writers

Welcome to adult elementary school. Yes, we were taught skills in elementary school, such as proper English and manners. Back in elementary school, I was in a program for creative writing. However, I was never taught good habits for such a task. As I thought about the contents...

Effective Tips for Concrete World Building in Fantasy Novels

Writing fantasy is not an easy task, especially considering that you will have to come up with a whole new world setup, new cultures, creative names and even dressing customs that haven’t been used before. The setting of your fantasy novel is not just for...

Tips for Developing a Better Plot That Stands Out!

Learning how to develop a story can be very hard for an aspiring author. While authors with more experience know what they need to do to make their plot stand out, debut or aspiring authors have a harder time figuring out what works and what...