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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...

Learning From The Masters Of Writing (Part 1 of 4)

An essential part of being a writer is learning what has come before you; learning from the classics so you can become (as T. S. Eliot said in “Tradition and The Individual Talent”) a part of that tradition. Though finding a direction in that massive...

Writing About Your Pandemic Experience (Part 2 of 2)

Among all the reasons to write about the pandemic, history is perhaps the best one to motivate us to pick up our pen and share our ideas and became a part of the global sentiment. We have become accustomed to the fast-paced tempo of our...

Writing About Your Pandemic Experience (Part 1 of 2)

We’re all staying home finding ways to make better use of our time. It’s not often that we get to have so much time on our hands as we are forced into isolation to protect ourselves in these uncertain times. What’s comforting to know is...

Writing in the Vernacular

Your story takes place in northern Scotland and you want to add a touch of authenticity to the characters. Why not write the dialogue in the vernacular? There’s nothing like a thick Scottish brogue to set the atmosphere. The problem with using the vernacular in...

Medical Inspirations: Aquagenic Urticaria

Ever wonder if you could be allergic to everyday things such as water or the sun? As it turns out, you can. Alexandra Allen learned this unfortunate truth. At twelve years old, she broke out into welt-like hives after swimming. Perhaps the chlorine was an...

Unusual Inspirations: Strange Highs

Many of our characters have vices. For some, it may be gambling. For others, it may be substance abuse or drug addiction. Perhaps it’s a serial killer with a penchant for killing. Maybe they like to use gas cans to get high before a murder....

Don't Be Afraid Of Experimenting

Should you stick to rules when writing or experiment? This is a question many writers ask, and most of the time, they tend to stick to the rules and even discriminate against those who don't. I will try to explain why experimenting is so important...

A Brief Anatomy of My Writing Formation (Part 2 of 2)

In grade school, I often represented my class in essay writing competitions. I won some but lost some as well. I still have one of my prize-winning essays called The School Paper Promotes the Intellectual Welfare of the Child. High school was sadly uneventful for me....

A Brief Anatomy of My Writing Formation (Part 1 of 2)

First of all, I am grateful to Readers’ Favorite for giving me the opportunity to become a part of their review team, as well as write pieces related to the writing life. Readers’ Favorite accepts reviewers from any part of the globe provided that they...

Horrific Inspirations: The Paris Catacombs

Paris is filled with history and wondrous mysteries. The city has been a witness to historical events like the Affair of the Poisons and the French Revolution. It’s seen the Hundred Years' War, has lived through the Black Plague and gone through Napoleon’s downfall. Nowadays, Paris...