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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...

Guidelines on How to Find a Literary Agent for a Novel

Few publishing houses accept unsolicited manuscripts. Therefore, it is important to be represented by someone reliable such as a literary agent. Agents are responsible for getting the written works into the hands of editors. While having a literary agent does not really guarantee that your...

A Guide to Finding a Literary Agent

Writing a book, contrary to what most people believe, is not just about writing a book. Just when you think the hard part is over after having finished your book, the next step is more frustrating. Where you rely on your own composition skills and...

Literary Agents - Inspiring Aspiring Authors

You don’t actually need to have a literary or publishing agent to get your book into circulation, but your chances will substantially improve if you do have one, especially if you are a new writer trying to make it in this industry. Needless to say,...

How to Find Your Literary Representative

If you have always wanted to be a recognized author, you probably have an idea about how hard it is to get published. You might have a complete arsenal behind you such as a creative and engaging writing style, perfect grammar, and a beautiful storyline...

Publishing Agents: Which Way to the Printing Press

There’s one big reason why you should be learning how to find a publishing agent – publishers love them. For them, agents make their work easier on every level. An author with an agent would most likely have a more developed story line along a...

Cruising for the Bookish Agent

Now your book is probably ready for publishing, or at least you hope it is. The next logical step is to reach out to those people called literary agents. You’ve heard that they have some mysterious talent that can charm publishing houses into printing books....

How to Find a Literary Agent

Now is the time to be a great writer. You have the story, the talent and the knowledge to become one of the best writers in history. Yet, there is something else that you need in order to complete your literary fame. You will need...

The Top Ten Tips When Searching For a Literary Agent

There are actually several things that you need to know when you are agent hunting. For professional writers, looking for an agent is easy since they have the experience and the skills to take on the literary world. However, for those who are just starting...

Do You Really Need a Literary Agent?

Literary agents are great when it comes to publishing your work. They will be able to provide you with virtually everything that you need in order to sell your book to the public. However, most writers consider having a literary agent as a waste of...

How to Best Write a Query Letter to a Literary Agent

If you are a writer with a finished manuscript or even if you're just halfway through it, the best way to get your work out and be signed for publication is by having a literary agent to represent you. A literary agent can help you...