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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...

Helpful Reminders for Freelance Writers (Part 2 of 2)

Don’t overestimate your writing, but don’t underestimate it as well. You’re not famous. Yet. Don’t have that grand delusion that everyone on the planet will read what you write. Stay true to your purpose. You don’t need to follow the herd. You’re probably tempted to write...

Helpful Reminders for Freelance Writers (Part 1 of 2)

Whether you’re a veteran or a rookie in the freelance writing business, what happens tomorrow will be uncertain. Freelancing is lucrative but competitive, and it’s helpful to be cautious of the common pitfalls that other freelancers have made to avoid them. Mistakes can always be...

Copy Mistakes Can Break Your Site

You stare with satisfaction at your written copy, and you confidently upload it on your website. The next day, you visit your uploaded article and to your chagrin, a couple of typos eluded your scrutiny. It happens even to the best of writers. No matter how...

What Makes an Effective Book Review?

On account that I write book reviews as a side hustle, I thought it would be helpful to write about the elements of a good review. A good review is something that gives readers useful information about a book. This is the essence of book...

Ideas For Storylines

I have always loved writing because it is the perfect way to leave all your everyday worries behind and escape into the magical world of fiction. But sometimes it's hard to know where to begin. What story are you going to tell? This is why...

Ideas For Your Fantasy Novel

Have you always had the ambition to write your own fantasy novel but never knew where to start? Here are a few suggestions that may inspire you to get started. These prompts can be used in any fantasy writing project, whether it is a book,...

Why You Should Continue to Write (Part 2 of 2)

You can write for posterity. Think of it this way: Many people think that the world is their oyster when in fact, the world doesn’t owe them anything. We are mere dots in this vast universe. When you die, the world will not stop for...

Why You Should Continue to Write (Part 1 of 2)

Artists have been commonly stereotyped as antisocial eccentrics. Perhaps because eccentricity is what makes artists think differently from the rest. Writers are an eccentric lot and creative writing serves as a channel to release their eccentricity in the form of imaginative storytelling or informative nonfiction....

Writing Your Résumé

When drafting your résumé, be sure that the skills you include accurately represent your experience and expertise in the area. Before sending it out, it is advisable that you carefully read the qualifications a company requires to see if you’re a good fit. If you...

Things That Only Amateur Writers Would Say

Granted that any literate person can write, it takes great talent to deliver great writing. Many people assume they can pen a great story, attributing such untested skill to other areas of their linguistic competence. They claim that they speak, listen, and read well. What...