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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...
Settings in Horror: The Church
Oftentimes in any genre, the church has been used as a symbol of sanctity, refuge, and, unfortunately, damnation. From the beautiful glass-stained windows to the fiery, lonesome pulpit, it’s also had its roots in the horror genre, more specifically, religious horror. Even in the real world,...
5 Great Books to Research Your Historical Fiction: 1950s
Historical fiction is a great way to capture an era, whether it is the elegant Victorian era or the swinging pace and sizzle of the Jazz era. Unlike contemporary novels or even fantasy where all a writer needs is their imagination, historical fiction requires meticulous...
How To Write Compelling Back Cover Copy
How To Write Compelling Back Cover Copy Two things entice a reader to pick up your book. First, it is the book cover that catches their eye and immediately after seeing that, they flip to the back of the book for the back cover copy. Generally speaking,...
How To Write A Synopsis For Your Novel
How To Write A Synopsis For Your Novel First things first, we are talking about the synopsis here and not the back cover sales copy. A synopsis is what your agent, editor or publisher will ask for if they want to see what happens in your...
Writing Preparation: Getting Ready To Write Your First Book
Writing Preparation: Getting Ready To Write Your First Book Whether you are writing fiction or nonfiction, the basic key to writing a successful book is all in the preparation. How you prepare for the project will determine whether you finish the book and how successful it...
5 Great Books to Research Your Historical Fiction: 1940s
Historical fiction is a great way to capture an era, whether it is the elegant Victorian era or the swinging pace and sizzle of the Jazz era. Unlike contemporary novels or even fantasy, where all a writer needs is their imagination, historical fiction requires meticulous...
Why “Bang, Bang, You’re Dead!” Just Doesn’t Cut It Anymore
As a writer of murder mysteries and suspense, I’m a huge fan of modern-day police procedural shows like Elementary, Bones, Forever, the CSI franchise, and the NCIS franchise. All of the shows are somewhat predictable in that there’s a crime – usually involving a murder or two – and the police and/or...
5 Great Books to Research Your Historical Fiction: 1930's
Historical fiction is a great way to capture an era, whether it is the elegant Victorian era or the swinging pace and sizzle of the Jazz era. Unlike contemporary novels or even fantasy where all a writer needs is their imagination, historical fiction requires meticulous...
Essential Writing Tips for Aspiring Authors – Tips That Help You Write Better (Part 2)
Aspiring authors have a lot of things to consider before they can even start writing. Although there are no sets of rules that new writers can follow, there are tips from seasoned authors who have decades of successful writing experience and their advice is always worth...
Essential Writing Tips for Aspiring Authors – Tips That Help You Write Better (Part 1)
There is a reason why F. Scott Fitzgerald said, "All good writing is swimming under water and holding your breath." There are no rights and wrongs when you write; every writer has their own expression, their own style and their own reasons to write. No...