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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...

How to Craft a Killer Opening Scene - Part 2

Hint at what the reader should expect in the following pages When a reader chooses to read your book, they already have an idea of what the book is about. The opening scene serves as a way to continue their attraction to the story. The opening...

How to Craft a Killer Opening Scene - Part 1

One of the most important aspects of writing a novel is creating an enticing opening scene. The opening scene of any book sets the scene of what is to come. A great opening scene grabs the reader’s attention from the beginning, making them want to...

Why You Should Never Quit on your Writing Goals - Part 2

Success is validating Think of when you worked so hard for something and, despite what the naysayers said, you finally got it. Remember the feeling of fulfillment that you felt when you got to the end? Success is the validating phase of a difficult process where...

Why you should Never Quit on your Writing Goals - Part 1

We all have those moments when we doubt ourselves and our capabilities, when we question whether we are on the right path, when we face obstacles and the idea of quitting is alluring. Still, we wonder what we could achieve if our dreams come true....

From Average to Expert, Becoming Better at Writing - Part 2

If you are not sure what your weak area is, solicit feedback from an experienced writer or from one of your readers. Your channels in gaining feedback could be social media, a writers' group or approaching a close friend who understands the writing process. Aggregate...

From Average to Expert, Becoming Better at Writing - Part 1

While there is nothing wrong in being an average writer, most of us crave to be better. Writing is a skill and a talent. If you have always had the passion to write, you could describe yourself as having the talent. However, since writing is...

Features of a Great Audio Book

Audiobooks have been with us for a while but it is only in the last three decades that they have become popular. Great audiobooks have distinctive features that set them apart from the rest. A good audiobook should, in essence, tell the story in a...

Writing Montage in Fiction

Montage is common in films. It is a device that uses flashbacks of images that show a past sequence of events. This is a method for compressing information of time, backstory, and point of view. It is a tool used by writers to show pacing and...

Rhythm - A Poetry Workshop Lesson

On my website, I'm currently running a poetry workshop for those wishing to learn more. Each week I post two lessons with a choice of prompts at the end so those taking the workshop not only are taught the material but how to use the...

How to Craft a Killer Opening Scene - Part 3

Read opening scenes from great writers As you read other novels, take note of what draws you to the book’s opening scene. Learn what great writers do differently that makes the beginning of their books stand out. After reading their works, write your own and compare...