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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...

Plagiarism – It’s Not Only Illegal, It Hurts

We’ve all heard about it. We know what it means. Most of us try hard to avoid copying and stealing what’s not ours. But how many of us have felt the pain inflicted when we discover someone else has stolen our work? Our creativity published...

Keep the Creative Juices Flowing

Just because you think your novel’s done, it doesn’t mean you’re done. Not by a longshot. If you’re serious about being a writer, then you can’t just stop when the last word is written for one story. Keep writing. Always. Make sure there’s a new...

Full Synopsis/Plot Overview

I have written quite a few synopses (plural of the synopsis) – short, brief, a slight taste of what the story is about. But a complete plot overview? A full synopsis? I was quite surprised by a recent request from a publisher considering my latest...

Horrific Inspirations: Ed Gingerich

Edward Gingerich (1966-2011) was the first Amish individual to be convicted of homicide in the United States criminal justice system. What went wrong to make him the first in hundreds of years of Amish teachings to be convicted of murder? Born in 1966, it is often...

Horrific Inspirations: Eli Stutzman

Is there such a thing as an Amish serial killer? I’m not sure how many of you have asked this question but it has been floating around in my head for some time. In the course of my search for answers, I stumbled upon Eli Stutzman...

Horrific Inspirations: An Amish Massacre

The Amish are known for their simplistic way of life and seemingly idyllic communities. No electricity. No phones. No cars. Unfortunately for them, the Amish aren’t immune from the same types of crimes we see on a daily basis and, eventually, require the help of...

Horrific Inspirations: The Soap-Maker of Correggio

Perhaps the most interesting and gruesome killer I have ever stumbled upon in my searches of the interweb is Leonarda Cianciulli (1894-1970) - the soap maker of Correggio. Was she born evil? Was she just the product of her environment? What happened to make her...

Writing the Synopsis

If you haven’t already done so, now’s the time. Your novel is finished, edited, and ready to submit to potential publishers. Your query should include a short synopsis. In fact, most publishers request a synopsis in your query. And, if you don’t need it right...

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...