The competition for the Self-published Writer’s Book Awards last year was great as you can see. The number of creative and inventive stories is dense, it’s hard to climb to the top of such a big competition in any year, yet I can’t help but think about what made the award winners stand out this time around. Based on the lessons I took in “5 Tips for Writing an Outstanding Self-Published Book from Someone Who Reads Hundreds of Them” that looked back years, these are three things I learned from the best self-published books in last year’s competition.
(Announcing the winners of the 29th Annual Self-Published Writer’s Book Award)
1. The award winners were ‘different’.
“Different” because I couldn’t find their story anywhere else. In such intense competition, the large number of books you read alike can be a bit surprising – surprisingly enough, there is more than you actually expected. It’s common to come across books written in similar ways (plot or style, maybe both) to Tolkien, Rowling, etc. Books about goofy middle schools, dogs, and forbidden lovers, are also popular. However, it was important that the winners stand out.
In a purely commercial environment, one would not dare to invest in a product that is similar to an already created one unless the product brings something new to the table. This year’s award winners worked within the context of established literature but wrote their stories in a way that allowed for a fresh perspective. In essence, they found a gap in the literary world, and once I picked up their novel, I knew that no matter how hard I looked, I would never be able to find a book like theirs.
This is not to say that they reinvented youth literature or defined a genre category on their own, but that their books had a gritty or spin-off flavor.
Just as I said my best self-published novel takes risks over a novel that you play it safe, I imagine budding authors will find my lesson in writing a “different” novel as reassurance that they should write the most gruesome novel possible. While I don’t blame the writers for wanting to do this, I think there is something to be said to understand your limitations and acknowledge where the reader is no longer willing to suspend their disbelief. Notably, this year’s competition winners stuck to their guns and focused on telling a great story in tangible ways. Which leads me to my next observation…
2. They did not spend more than they could chew.
Another way to put it is to say that the prize winners didn’t arrive very much. For example, none of the winners I reviewed used multiple viewpoints. Perhaps the reason is that using multiple perspectives is very difficult. Unless the different characters really can add layers and depth to the plot, it’s often better for you to stick to one point of view and develop an incredibly empathic connection rather than stopping the story display mid-stream to add other character activities.
The winners were also very well polished. This may sound rudimentary, but there is something to be said for an independent author who takes the time to meticulously edit his book so that each sentence is told fresh and clear. In my recent series on the self-publishing business, I advocate writing as many books as possible as a way to grow an audience. This doesn’t seem to go hand in hand with editing a novel so that “every word floats off the lips naturally,” as Alice Freeman, a Pushkart Prize winner and former Georgia Writer of the Year in Poetry, told me recently as the goal of editing. However, this was a major reason these award-winning novels stood out – it’s clear that each author took the time to make their novel great.
There is a lot to be said for putting together an inaccessible or “chewable” novel. As opposed to trying to prove that a complex plot makes sense, the author can focus on concepts like vivid descriptions, consistent tones, natural pace, and more. In addition, the development of a concrete narrative means that these authors do not have to go beyond to make their point, which means …
3. They were able to trust their readers.
The confidence of its readers has allowed these award-winning novels to speak in subtle ways. I can understand wanting to point out every super excited moment and over-sharing the reasons why a minor character does the things he does – but if you’re doing it because the audience might not notice your drift, you miscalculated elsewhere. Think of this as if your friend is telling a joke at the table and before he lets you laugh, he is already explaining the joke as if you weren’t smart enough to understand the humor. Kind of offensive, right? So please admit, your readers are smart! Perhaps most importantly, they like to feel smart.
Much of this has to do with how well the author understands the intended reader. Find out who your book has been written for and how you need to write in a way that will connect with and resonate with that particular audience.
For example, these award winners weren’t melodramatic in any way. They let the emotional depth be felt, rather than listened to. The powerful moments were powerful because the author prepared them piece by piece and allowed the reader to enjoy the culmination of the journey. There was no misspelling or exaggeration, just real plot points and confidence that the reader was picking up on the important aspects.
Part of this is not just about trusting the reader but trusting yourself as a talented author. You must know and trust that the plot you created will amaze the audience.
Whether you’re finalizing the 80th amendment of your soon-to-be-released novel, or you’ve been trying to convince yourself for the past two years that your novel contains what this competition demands, I want to see you work. Applications open in the spring, and I’m always ready to enjoy your book.
In the meantime, do yourself a favor and read the winners in the category you’re considering. They are really cool. Congratulations to them all.
When you take this online writing course, you will learn methods for self-editing fiction writers to ensure your writing is free from grammatical errors. You’ll also delve into how to edit a book with Writing Great Fiction: Self-Reviewing and Editing by James Scott Bell. Use this self-editing checklist to keep you on track and take the time to perfect your work.
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