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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...

Literary Inspirations: Oscar Wilde

Romanticism was different from the other literary movements. It had a darker, more cynical undertone, and forced people to delve into the more horrific parts of humanity. And despite writers like William Wordsworth offering his sensitive words to the public, other writers took on grittier...

Writing Good Sci-Fi Romances

When we think of science fiction, we think of galaxies and stars and the occasional misuse of Star Wars. We think of superheroes and their awesome powers, or a dystopia that advertises itself as paradise on earth, even though its own citizens are dying. We...

Literary Inspirations: Ralph Waldo Emerson

Transcendentalism was a literary movement characterized by nonconformity to contemporary society. Transcendentalists helped shape the individual narrative and encouraged people to find their own relationship with the earth surrounding them, rather than relying on conventional means to do so. It urged people to look out at...

The Illustrious World of William Blake

In Songs of Innocence and of Experience, William Blake paired his poetry with several beautiful illustrations such as Titania and Oberon. In this work, both Innocence and Experience symbolize human consciousness, of maturing, whether it be from celebrating innocence or falling from innocence. Through other...

Cliffhangers - Pros and Cons

If you are an avid reader like me then I’m sure at some point you have read a book that has ended on a cliffhanger. The heroine or hero is just about to save the day when something surprising and game-changing happens. Or perhaps they...

Creating the Right Heroine for your Story

Every great story has a great heroine or hero. The process of developing the right heroine for your story can be challenging when you think of their pivotal role in the book. Here are some tips to consider if you want to develop a relatable...

Illustrations for Adult Books

While illustrations are commonly used in children’s books, the amazing features they add to the stories starts the discussion on why they are rarely incorporated in adult books. For many children, reading a book without pictures is almost intolerable, but as they grow older, the...

Imagining your Story

When coming up with a new story, it is easy to get lost in the details before establishing an outline for your plot. Drawing up a plan, even if just a sketch, will help you remain focused and contain your ideas to produce a coherent and...

Turn your Writing Failures into Wins

Not every dream is meant to be achieved and every winner has known failure at some point in their lives. Since success has a lot to do with how you deal with failure, here are a few tips to see your failures from a different...

Literary Inspirations: Lord Byron

The Romantic Movement was known for many things. From a longing for the natural to the musical qualities of the works, to even writers exploring the darker side of humanity, it was, at the very least, an interesting period for literature. However, many agree that...