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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...

Romantic Inspirations: Crime and Punishment

Knowing good and evil can be difficult. Despite us teaching and being taught what’s good and what’s bad, in the end, it all depends on the situation. For instance, if we had to choose between a countless number of innocent lives, and saving the people...

Romantic Inspirations: The Lady Macbeth

In the infamous tragedy Macbeth, Lady Macbeth played an important role in her husband’s fall from grace. She repeatedly goads him into killing others and prizes her ambition and lust for power over everything else, including her own sanity. She is a manifestation of the darkness...

Romantic Inspirations: Macbeth

Corruption has a damaging effect on people. Whether it be due to a desire for power, or peace, or even love, that corruption can have longlasting psychological and physical consequences on someone. After all, corruption is rife through human history, and we’ve seen it happen...

Immortality

Humanity has been infatuated with immortality for thousands of years. From alchemy and magic to science and psychology, as humans, we’re obsessed with the idea of living forever. Even if we can’t do that, we’re convinced we can leave something behind, whether that’s a legacy...

Writing Compelling Antiheroes

Nowadays, relatable antiheroes are popular. Because, as readers, we like to put ourselves in the character’s shoes, imagine ourselves as the sort of person that, while not perfect, can still make a difference in the world. We want to think that just because we aren’t Superman...

The Impact of Fifty Shades of Grey

I make fun of Fifty Shades of Grey. A lot. From the unrealistic relationships to the fact that it’s a literal fanfiction based on Twilight, to the humorous parodies of stalking and love. But despite all the common sense we’ve thrown at it, people still flock...

Philosophical Ponderings: Nihilism

There are times when we’ll just pick up a book and read a few pages. Then we realize how hopeless and depressing the book is. The character realizes how meaningless their actions are, how pointless the plot is, how insignificant they are as they’re swept away...

Tips for Writing a Superb Blurb – Part 3

A blurb may be the shortest piece of writing you have to come up with for your novel, but it is one of the most important aspects of your novel. You need to get your blurb right to be able to capture the attention of...

What A Writer Should Learn From Santa

You, as a writer, need a little stimulation. This may come in different ways. Have you ever thought about presents? Unless you have different religious views or something, why not write a letter to Santa?  Here is a list to get you started.  Many people remember better...

Tips for Writing a Superb Blurb – Part 2

The blurb of a novel is a powerful tool for an author, especially when they want to grab the attention of the audience and increase sales. While most authors give their utmost attention to the cover to make their book stand out, they more or...