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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...

7 Compelling Reasons to Make Writing Your Hobby

Many writers feel that their friends and family see their writing as a hobby, Never mind that it is their career and means of income - including the pressure to perform and to meet strict deadlines. Then there are those for whom writing truly is...

Lies Writers Tell Themselves and How to Defeat Them

Self-limiting beliefs arise during our formative years in reaction to painful experiences. We tell these lies to ourselves to protect ourselves from hurt, which influences what we think, say, and do. Common limiting beliefs of writers are - Nobody will want to read my book. - There are too...

What is a Story Bible and Do You Need One?

Anyone who writes a novel should make notes, or a character might begin with long fair hair and end with it brown and curly! Where a Story Bible becomes essential is when you are writing a series of novels. The “cast” increases, and the characters age,...

Why Writers Procrastinate and How to Solve It

I often complain that I need more time to write, but then I spend a lot of time planning, researching, or even organizing my writing space. Although all these activities are essential, they shouldn’t keep me from writing. So, why do writers procrastinate? - The leading cause...

Pros and Cons of Writing Contests for New Writers

As a newbie writer, you often wonder: Can entering writing contests help me to get noticed? Or should I rather spend all my time working on my book? Let’s investigate these contests, giving you the information you need to decide for yourself. Pros: - Prices can vary from...

8 Reasons Why Vibrant Writers Should Write Book Reviews

There are many ways that writers can get their books reviewed. It varies from scouring the web for book bloggers who love reading and promoting authors—but also paid services through book tours with publishers or reviewers for sites like Readers Favorite or Kirkus Reviews. But have...

Should You Add a Prologue to Your Novel?

Your story exists, either in draft or as a plot plan, so if you favor using a prologue, now is the time to ask yourself if you need one. Would a prologue:    1) Provide extra information to enhance the plot?    2) Be a teaser – bring...

When Your Family Hates Your Writing

It feels like the ultimate betrayal: you excitedly announce to family and friends that you want to be a writer, but instead of praise and encouragement, you get much the same reaction that I got when I first announced made this fateful announcement: “Why do you...

Creative Writing Ideas

I have been busy researching different ways to rekindle my mind into creative writing mode. I am working on a novel and have found that I do hit those writer’s blocks from time to time. However, I have found some creative ideas to jog the brain....

How Formal Is Your Writing?

When I teach journalistic interviewing skills to my university students, I ask “What’s the appropriate way to dress for an interview?” It doesn’t always happen, but sometimes an astute student replies, “It depends on the situation.” And they’re right. Similarly, when I ask “How Formal Is...