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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. Below that are hundreds of articles on topics all authors face in today’s literary landscape. Get help and advice on Writing, Marketing, Publishing, Social Networking 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...

When You Shouldn’t Kill Your Characters

If you are a writer, one area of planning your novel could be deciding if one of your characters should be killed. While this could have a dramatic impact on your plot, it is also one of the toughest decisions you may have to make....

Creating Characters That Readers Care About Part Two

In my previous article on character archetypes, I spoke of the importance to study novels of authors you admire to gain that inspiration to develop your own unique characters. I took my own advice and have discovered even more character archetypes that may help you...

Rid Yourself of Writer's Block Once and For All

I think, as writers, we have all experienced that time in our careers when you sit down to write and your mind goes blank. It can be so frustrating, especially if you have been trying to produce new content for days or even weeks. If...

Creating Characters That Readers Care About

There’s no shortcut; if you want your story to engage the reader, then they have to care about the characters, and that means they have to be compelling. So, what are the emotions your characters need to evoke? Well, they need to be believable, relatable and make your...

How To Create Tension

Tension in a novel is the ultimate 'page-turning' secret ingredient. We have all read those novels that we literally read in one sitting because we cannot wait to find out what happens next. There are several ways you can achieve the right balance of tension....

How To Get Your Poetry Published In Magazines Part 2

In my previous article, I discussed how to find literary publications that would make a great fit for your style of poetry. Now we are going to delve deeper into the whole submission process.  Deadlines The most important part of the submission process is the deadline date...

How To Get Your Poetry Published In Magazines

Finding a literary magazine that is willing to publish your poetry may seem a lot more difficult than other genres, as the opportunities available are harder to find, but it is not impossible. I have put together some tips and guidelines that should make the...

Taking Criticism

I know the feeling. You put your heart into a piece. You submitted it, only to be asked if you even put time into what you wrote. OK. My advice? Do not brood. They cannot see you (unless you are video chatting) so take some time...

On Keeping A Notebook

As I am old school, I think having a physical notebook for writing to be the best at keeping notes. Sure, there are bells and whistles online but are too complicated. I find buying notebooks at the local dollar store to be better than a...

Rules of Writing Romance That Every Author Should Know

Romance is one of the most diverse genres and countless readers look for romance in almost every novel they read. Now that more authors are choosing self-publishing over publication houses, new romance authors are coming on to the scene and trying their mettle in the...