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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...

What is a Paradox

“This is the beginning of the end.” Consider and think about the meaning of that statement. Don’t you find it quite weird? It makes sense, yet at the same time, it doesn’t make sense. Or in a particular context, say a ceremony, the statement is...

The Importance and Application of Dramatic Irony in Fiction

Remarkable appearance in the tragic end of Romeo and Juliet, prominent writers have always used dramatic irony to create intrigue and suspense. The reader knows what is coming, but the characters don't. And as they act and speak in ignorance, readers can only hope for...

Exploring Paradox in Literature and How To Write One

Paradoxes are very effective in writing. They can prove popular opinion to be too simple to be relevant, highlight societal hypocrisy and injustice, and help create a complex fictional character. In this article, we explore the use of paradox to convey complex concepts and ridiculous...

3 Simple Tips for Writers to Avoid Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Most writers write their books directly on their computers in this digital age. And if you consider that writers aim for a minimum of 1000 words a day, and a typical novel is about 70 000 words, that is a lot of typing! And that...

Flashbacks

The definition of a flashback A flashback is a literary device that interrupts the chronological order of events or scenes in a narrative to insert a past scene or event in the narrative. A flashback takes the audience from the present back to the past. The...

What is a Euphemism?

What is a euphemism? We grow up learning nothing but good morals and generally being virtuous. This process of learning slowly breeds and raises a strong urge in us to uphold decency in both our actions and conversations. This is probably why we find it hard...

All About Repetition

The definition of repetition Repetition is a literary device that entails the deliberate usage of a word or phrase more than once in a sentence or group of words. Repetition is often done to produce the desired effect which can be musicality, clarity, emphasis, or memorability. Repetition...

How To Use Antithesis as a Literary Device in Your Writing

Antithesis emphasizes the meaning and importance of an idea by pointing readers to its exact opposite, helping them better understand and appreciate the idea. And by using parallelism, antithesis provides your prose with rhythmic and lyrical qualities that make an expression memorable. In this article,...

Exploring the Use of Satire in Literature

Satire is a literary device that adroitly ridicules folly or vice to expose or correct it. It focuses on human imperfection as it manifests in people’s behavior, ideas, and societal institutions or other creations. Satire uses tones of entertainment, mockery, disdain, or exasperation toward a flawed subject,...

What's an Oxymoron?

What is an Oxymoron? What comes to your mind when such a question is shot at you? Can you comfortably answer it? An oxymoron is quite a common literary device you’ll come across in literary works. The word oxymoron is derived from the Greek words oksús...