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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. Below that are hundreds of articles on topics all authors face in today’s literary landscape. Get help and advice on Writing, Marketing, Publishing, Social Networking 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...

Foreshadowing in Dialogue

Dialogues can be an effective tool for foreshadowing. Characters have a distinct way of speaking depending on their biographical background. They have their sentiments and prejudices, and they could negotiate, persuade, and object. The way they speak not only reveals a hidden part of themselves, but...

How to Get More from your Reading Experience - Part 4

Ask questions along the way Observe your reaction to different events and aspects of the book and question why you have a specific reaction in a particular case. If you laugh or cry along with the characters, check what kind of wording achieves such an emotional...

How to Get More from your Reading Experience - Part 3

Start with the introduction. After settling down with the right read for the particular time that you will be reading, take notice of what you would easily ignore. Notice the cover image and the title. Take note of what resonates with you and what does...

Tips on Naming your Fictional Character - Part 2

Select different sounding names for different characters Similar sounding names like Molly and Polly, Ally and Andy should be avoided to prevent confusion unless the similarity in the characters’ names is central to the storyline. It also takes more time to read a book with similar...

Tips on Naming your Fictional Character - Part 1

There is more to a name that appears in a novel. As you select one for your fictional character, there are a few considerations you need to make. Names are some of those elements in your book that are subtle and their impact may not...

How to Get More from your Reading Experience - Part 2

Deeper reads have the advantage of taking you to a whole new world where you can picture yourself in another setting and forget everything around you. They have a greater advantage compared to lighter ones. However, time for such reads is more limited which brings...

How to Get More from your Reading Experience - Part 1

Part of being a great writer is being a great reader. Reading plays a significant role in a writer’s life, that is, for any writer who wants to get better at their writing. However, readers read with different intentions in mind. While sometimes we read...

On Transgressive Fiction (Part 2 of 2)

Art does not always celebrate the beautiful. Art also shows us the dark side of human existence. This is what makes transgressive fiction an important genre. From a psychological standpoint, we do not want to get ourselves into any form of hurt or trouble. When...

On Transgressive Fiction (Part 1 of 2)

Not many writers dabble in transgressive fiction. The genre deals extensively with taboo subjects and characters that fall under the antisocial spectrum. I once had a chat with a bookworm who told me that she isn’t particularly thrilled with reading this genre because it depresses...

Should You Abandon or Continue Writing Your Novel? (Part 2 of 2)

While some people look down on the writing profession, others can only wish that they could become a writer. At parties, bars, and cafes, you often hear people complimenting writers they meet by stating that they have often dreamed of writing a book someday. In the...