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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...
Parenthood in Children's Literature
Parenthood is one of life’s hardest endeavors. It involves raising kids, attending PTA meetings, dealing with the consequences our children are too young to understand. And although parents will tell you that it’s worth it, those very same parents will, at times, ask themselves why...
The Meaningful Struggles of Herman Melville
From masterpieces such as Moby Dick to analyses like Battle-Pieces and Aspects of War, Herman Melville has certainly left his mark on the literary world. Melville is a force to be reckoned with, with a majority of his works centered around morality and man’s struggle between...
Is Your Use of ‘Had’ Redundant?
She had done it. Again. But also way back in the past tense, she had done it. Or, should it be, she did it? Had done, had gone, had been – all words of the distant past. We use the word ‘had’ to create a...
Story Prompt Ideas For Children
In these current, extraordinary circumstances we find ourselves in, how are you spending your time? When we are used to a daily routine of going to work, socializing with friends or visiting family, now we find ourselves self-isolating at home and lacking a daily structure....
Pending Understanding Professional Etiquette and High Risk Situations in Psychology Part 2
High-Risk Situations and Ethical Dilemmas The inability to deal effectively in high-risk situations can lead to the creation of an ethical dilemma as someone unprepared or unable to deal with a high-risk situation could unintentionally cause the escalation of an already difficult situation. This escalation could...
Understanding Professional Etiquette and High Risk Situations in Psychology Part 1
In my article "The Need for Psychology Understanding,” I discussed how fiction writers need at least a basic understanding of psychology in order to write realistic content, dialogues, characters, and relationships. Two such psychological concepts are professional etiquette and high-risk situations in psychology. These two...
Short Story Ideas with a Twist
In these difficult and stressful times of self-isolation, it is so hard to keep your children occupied inside while, at the same time, trying to maintain a normal routine. Why not try some of these short story ideas to boost your child's imagination, improve their...
Don’t Forget to Take a Notebook
Perhaps not an issue now that we are in self-isolation (or, at least, we should be). However, I still carry one with me, even if I’m just walking the dog. You never know when that spark of inspiration is going to strike. Every time I leave...
Understanding Decision Making Models Part 2
Value of the Eight-Step Model The eight-step ethical decision-making model is a valuable model because it provides a method for handling ethical issues and conflicts in an organized manner. The eight-step ethical decision-making model is specifically designed to minimize harm, receive input from other professionals, understand...
Understanding Decision Making Models Part 1
In my article "The Need for Psychology Understanding,” I discussed how fiction writers need at least a basic understanding of psychology in order to write realistic content, dialogues, characters, and relationships. One such psychological concept is decision-making models. While most writers know and understand that...