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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...

Sharing Your Story With Others

Charles Osgood has some intriguing tabletop discussions on his radio show, The Osgood File. One day I was listening to him talk about books which caused my mind to wander. I am a lover of books of all types. For me, books are on a platform all...

Do You Need A Writing Coach?

This article is not to convince you that working with a writing coach will sell your book. What I want to do is to share with you the benefits of working with someone who has been there. Let us look at the benefits of working...

How To Become An In-Demand Freelance Writer

Many writers have started their careers as a freelance writer. You can work for several publications. The more diverse you are as a writer the better. This is a great way to earn extra money or as a second income. So where do you start?...

Fear Can Make You A Better Writer

No matter how successful or how new we are to writing, fear comes knocking on everyone's door, even if no one admits it publicly. The thought of actually putting our work out there for all to scrutinize and judge can be terrifying. It can take...

The Art Of Descriptive Writing

A friend of mine recently asked me to proofread his new novel. I have found the task comes with great responsibility, not just to my friend, but to the work itself. It's not just about spelling and grammar, it is also about what is best...

Romantic Inspirations: Bram Stoker

I remembered back in middle school, my English teacher wanted to cover Edgar Allen Poe. She thought it’d be an appropriate topic since it was Halloween. I, however, thought she’d cover someone else, like Bram Stoker. When I told her this, she simply smiled at...

Romantic Inspirations: Shakespeare

Shakespeare is regarded as one of the world’s most beloved writers. From the heartbreaking tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, to the humorous scenes of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, there’s no doubt that he’s brought so many people to tears, sorrowful or otherwise. Not only this, but...

Why Readers May be Putting Down Your Book

With thousands of books being published daily, doing whatever you can to give your book an edge can’t hurt. You’ve spent a lot of time and energy in writing your book and naturally want readers not just to buy it, but to read and enjoy...

Santa's Evil Helpers Around the World

In How to Write a Unique Spooky Story, I wrote about how to write a unique spooky story by either creating your own monster, creature, or horror yourself or by finding a monster that is not well known. I advised finding a monster by researching...

Austrian Monster Myths

In How to Write a Unique Spooky Story, I wrote about how to write a unique spooky story by either creating your own monster, creature, or horror yourself or by finding a monster that is not well known. I advised finding a monster by researching...