So, last year, I submitted my book, The Voices, into a Writers Digest competition to see what people thought of it. I got some helpful feedback. It wasn't the best or the worst there. I think I lost points writing what the voices were telling me verbatim. I did not embellish so that it would make more sense or make the story more cohesive. She called the dialogue forced and wooden, meaning dull? My voices made my life hell. That is where all the action is at. How can I convey that better? The voices in my head are telling the story.  The voices say many strange and repetetive things to me. I will just shrug off that criticism.  Who knows? Maybe I will write another book. My book, The Voices, is available on Amazon!

Below is a brief commentary for your entry in the 6th Annual Writer’s Digest  Self-Published eBook Awards, thank you for participating this year!

(If you submitted more than one entry, please note that the commentaries may not be delivered at the same time. All commentaries will however be sent by EOB on January 31st.)

Entry Title: The Voices

Author: Danielle Flore

Writing as (if applicable): 

Entry Category: Mystery/Thriller

A few quick notes~

• Books are evaluated on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 meaning “needs improvement” and 5 meaning “outstanding”.
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Structure, Organization, and Pacing: 4

Spelling, Punctuation, and Grammar: 4

Production Quality and Cover Design: 4

Plot and Story Appeal: 3

Character Appeal and Development: 3

Voice and Writing Style: 3

Judge’s Commentary*:

In The Voices, a mystery / thriller novel written by Danielle Flore, we are presented with a moody and haunting tale of black magic, the even blacker depths of a human soul, and the subtle manipulations we allow ourselves in the name of love. The title for the novel seems to this reader to be haunting and captivating, providing a suggestive entry point to the work that establishes keen alignment with the genre and strong expectations. The dialogue here is sometimes problematic and clunky, sounding a little off in a way that causes the reader to stumble and question the characterizations. It’s hard to nail dialogue, especially when juggling characters, but it’s crucial to maintain a sense of realism and, to my ear, this element often seemed a little forced and wooden. The overall design of the book is professional. It features an interior layout that is crisp and clean with text design on each page that is readable and presented soundly. It may seem minor, but getting the interior in order is an important step in getting the reader hooked and able to enter into the flow of the work! Also, the cover image for the book is moody and emotional, capturing the reader’s interest right from the get go.