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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...
Settings in Horror: The Graveyard
Whenever we think of death and darkness and decay, what better place is there than a graveyard? While the graveyard conveys a more depressing meaning in life, in literature, it’s just as terrifying as an abandoned asylum or a haunted mansion. From fledging vampires rising...
Dissonance in Horror: The Glasgow Smile
Every Batman fan knows who the Joker is, and even if you aren’t, you’ve probably heard his name somewhere before. His sociopathic tendencies, insane laugh, and disturbing smile have captivated audiences for many years. Still, however iconic he is, that smile is the one thing...
What to Write about in Business
Business is a very large field to write about because there are so many different types of business; the topic can easily include anything from starting your own business to growing an existing business. It is for this reason that it is so vital for...
Ignore Reviewers at Your Peril!
I have read and reviewed hundreds of books for Readers’ Favorite. These are my observations on basic mistakes made when writing fiction. Christian fiction does not mean “no graphic sex or obscene language otherwise I can write what I like”. Five-star books have a truly Christian...
Why Do I Write Book Reviews?
Have you ever thought of writing book reviews? Perhaps you’ve already written some as a favor to a writer acquaintance or on Goodreads or Amazon. But how about writing book reviews for an income? There are book review sites (online and print form) that actually...
Key Elements to Writing a Sleuth Novel
Nancy Drew is one of the most well-known sleuths in literature. She differs from Sherlock Holmes with an innocent and cheery style. Nancy is determined, a little naive, and investigates any mystery she can find. When writing the cozy sleuth story, there are six elements...
How to Make a Cozy Mystery Stand Out
Cozy mysteries (or Cozies) aren't like other mystery series; they're often lighthearted and feature an amateur sleuth instead of a detective. Cozies have a formulaic style they follow, but it's how these elements are done that catch attention. The standard elements: Pun-y titles: Any lover of cozy...
Write With Abandonment
Due to the economy, an influx of businesses are coming on the scene and new authors are evolving. Uber, Tesla, Snapchat, and Netflix all developed for the purpose of filling a void or to supply a need. What type of void are you filling with your...
5 Great Books to Research Your Historical Fiction: 1910s
Historical fiction takes readers back into a particular era, whether it is the intrigue of Elizabethan court or the swinging Sixties and Seventies. Historical fiction requires meticulous research to offer an accurate and interesting glimpse of the past and often writers are not sure where to...
5 Great Books to Research Your Historical Fiction: 1980s
Historical fiction is wonderful when a skilled author can truly capture the flavor of an era, whether it is the mannered elegance of Jane Austen's Regency period or the drama and adventure of the Vikings. To be truly authentic, historical fiction requires meticulous research and...