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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
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)
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...
Why You Should Write Fanfiction
I remember a time when people criticized other writers who fell in love with fan culture. But despite this, I, along with others, have somehow managed to slip down the rabbit hole, and dedicated my time to writing fanfiction. Yes, if you haven’t guessed by...
It Is Never Too Late To Write
I first decided to become a writer when I was 27 years old. It was, of course, frowned upon by family and friends until I agreed with them it was a ridiculous idea and that I should concentrate on finding a proper job so I could support my son....
Horror History: The Catholic Church
The Catholic Church is one of the most powerful institutions in human history. From their influence in power and politics, to their complicated relations with various minority groups, to even their perspectives on the afterlife, it’s clear that many individuals have drawn both inspiration and criticism...
Romantic Inspirations: The Fall From Heaven
A beloved hero that killed for the sake of revenge, a family’s fortune and reputation reduced to nothing, a young child thrown into the merciless cruelties of war; there’s something to be said about the similar dread within these situation. In fact, this tainted light...
Romantic Inspirations: King Henry VIII and His Wives
There’s no doubt that royalty can be as sinfully corrupt as the aristocracy. Whether that be through their lust, their contempt for humanity, their greed, or even their indifference, the magnificence of a king can erode, the memory of his existence fading with time, all because of...
Motivation Tips to Finally Sit and Write
Most writers I know struggle with motivation when it comes to writing a new book. There are many questions that plague them when they start considering working on a new piece. From what to write about to the reception of the end product, many second...
Good Copyediting is Essential to the Success of Your Book (11)
Subject–Verb Agreement Recently, I was asked to review a book for which the author supplied a press release. It included this sentence (I’ve adapted it to keep it anonymous): ‘As a retired counsellor, I know that relationships between one human being and another is a critical human...
Good Copyediting is Essential to the Success of Your Book (10)
Colons and Semicolons Colons and semicolons are often confused, leaving readers confused as well. Here are the differences between the two. Use a colon to: • Introduce an idea (‘Here is my suggestion: follow the signal to Neptune immediately’). • Introduce a list (‘The following three points are vital:...
Good Copyediting is Essential to the Success of Your Book (9)
More on Commas (c) Introductory elements Some sentences begin with a little introduction. Here’s an example: ‘After eating her dinner, the greyhound went to sleep.’ You’ll see that the introduction (After eating her dinner) is separated by a comma from the rest of the sentence. In general, use a...
Good Copyediting is Essential to the Success of Your Book (8)
Punctuation We’ve already talked about over-using punctuation. Here, we’ll look at using routine punctuation: full stops, commas, colons and semicolons, hyphens and dashes. Full Stops (Also Called Periods or Full Points) Everyone knows where to put a full stop. Or do they? Obviously, full stops are used at...