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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...
Cultural Misappropriation in Fiction
In recent decades, people were quick to point out any sort of prejudice within society. They may stand up for children, women, and different minorities. So much so, that people are starting to point out different instances of cultural appropriation. Cultural appropriation happens when individuals...
Heartbreak in Literature
In a traditional wedding, there’s this famous saying, “Till death to us part,” which of course, places enormous pressure on the marriage to work. Vows like “You’re the apple of my eye” or “You’re the love of my life” get exchanged. You put a ring...
What is Flash Fiction?
There are short stories; then there are very short short stories. Flash fiction, post card stories, micro fiction, sudden fiction, or even the six-word story has become a popular form in recent years. But, actually, the short shorts have been around for a long time. The...
The Freemasons
I remember when I was in high school. I was blindly applying for every scholarship I came across when I, somewhat inevitably, ran into a Freemasonry scholarship. As I read through the requirements, I initially thought it was just a club. There were essay requirements...
The Grotesque
If you’ve been around any sort of artistic medium, chances are you’ve probably run into something you may have considered disturbing, weird, or morbidly fascinating. There is a sea of these images in the horror genre, such as the Last Apprentice series by Joseph Delaney,...
What is Creative Nonfiction?
There’s historical fiction, biography, autobiography, memoirs – so, where does creative nonfiction fit into all of this? And, what is creative nonfiction? Well, simply put, it is a story about a person, a place or an historical event. Factually accurate narratives are used to bring the...
Medical Inspirations: Leishmaniasis
Looking for a new way to “get rid” of some characters? Maybe a slow, painful way to go? Perhaps a way to torture someone from far away? Look no further. Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease that is gruesome and can result in death. Leishmaniasis is generally...
Historical Inspirations: Queen Boudica
In 2019, a hoard of Roman coins was found, dating between 153 BC and 60-61 AD, in a field near Suffolk. It is quite possible that these coins can be linked to the epic revolt of the Celtic Queen Boudica. Who was she and why...
The Branches of Witchcraft
With the rise of religious tolerance and interest in pre-Christian religions, witchcraft has captured mainstream interest. From TV shows such as Salem and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina to books such as The Witching Hour by Anne Rice,The Witches of Eastwick by John Updike, and the Harry...
The New Age Genre
About a hundred years ago, if you were to suggest that witches and Christians could co-exist in the same space, chances were you’d be hunted down and physically assaulted for it. Fifty years ago, if you were to suggest the same thing, no one would...