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- A strong opening: A great book grabs readers on the first page and doesn’t let go until they’ve reached the end of the book. That’s why a strong opening is one of the most important elements of book writing.
- Compelling characters: Most great works of literary fiction have one thing in common: rich, compelling characters. Good characters draw readers in, giving them someone to love, hate, or identify with.
- An absorbing story: When a reader picks up a novel, short story, or other piece of creative writing, they want to be entertained by a good story. From the inciting incident to the rising action to the climax, a great story keeps the reader engaged from the first page onward.
- Sharp dialogue: Good books are filled with sharp, memorable dialogue. Bestsellers contain dialogue that advances the plot, demonstrates your characters’ personalities, and adds texture to the world of your story.
- 10 Ways to Make A Good Story Succeed
- Give Your Story Strong Dramatic Content
- Vary Rhythm and Structure in Your Prose
- Create Believable, Memorable Characters
- Make The Important Story Sections Effective
- Deepen Your Plot with Subplots
- Make Every Line of Dialogue Count
- Add What Makes A Good Story
- Create Conflict and Tension
- Deliver Knockout Endings
Give your story strong dramatic contentVary rhythm and structure in your proseCreate believable, memorable charactersMake the important story sections effective‘Man has bacon and eggs for breakfast’ is not a story idea that is going to have readers clawing for a copy of your book. It also is highly unlikely this would sustain an entire novel or an entire story. ‘Man has bacon and eggs for breakfast, but the bacon is made from human flesh’ is a story scenario with much more dramatic potential (this could b...
Writing instructors often advise creative writing classes to write shorter, punchier sentences. Short sentences are great for increasing pace and help to make scenes that have tense subject matter tenser in mood. Yet be wary of monotonous writing. Vary sentence length. Tap out the rhythm of your sentences’ syllables every now and then, or read your...
Why do we find some characters more memorable than others? Because they have one or more of the following: 1. Unique voices, personas and expressions 2. Intriguing (or baffling) goals and motivations 3. Flaws and weaknessesas well as strengths 4. Distinctive appearances (including body language, gait and mannerisms) Note that appearance comes last:...
Each part of a story needs to be effective to make it good. Great openings create fascinating introductions to authors’ worlds, characters and plot scenarios. In a brilliant middle, your story might: 1. Introduce new characters who help or hinder your primary character(s) 2. Add subplots that supplement your main story arc (more on this in number 5...
What is the definition of a subplot?
A subplot is ‘a secondary plot, or a strand of the main plot that runs parallel to it and supports it’. An example of a subplot would be the departure of the character Quoyle’s wife in the early chapters of E. Annie Proulx’s novel The Shipping News. This becomes part of the subplot of Quoyle grieving for (and looking for substitute) love. The subplot sets the tragic tone for the novel and the pathos of it, Quoyle’s heartbreak, drives the reader to invest emotionally in his outcome. This is wh...
Make every line of dialogue count. In great dialogue: 1. We gain a sense of characters’ different personalities, views, quirks (everyone has their own voice) 2. Dialogue serves the story (characters don’t just sit around telling each other what they had for breakfast) 3. Dialogue deepens or develops connections between characters such as conflict a...
What makes a story great? Besides unforgettable characters, a crafted plot, engaging action and dialogue? Immersive settings. A great story puts us right in the heart of its scenes, its world. How do you write a great setting? 1. Make place a character.Don’t just give a house a shape and colour. Give it personality. Is it old and dank, shutting out...
When we read the word ‘conflict’ we often think immediately of violence. War, for example, or physical fights between adversaries. But there are many kinds of conflict you can use to improve your story. Characters’ internal conflicts create tensionby making readers wonder whether they will overcome their hurdles. Characters might also grapple with ...
The ending will either entice a reader to seek out other novels you’ve written or donate the book they’ve just finished. Don’t let your book be clutter. End on a lingering impression:
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To help you create that oddly intimate writer-to-reader relationship, I’ve put together the most important standards for writing 1) an excellent story 2) in an emotionally engaging way. Because that’s what defines a great book: stellar storytelling and masterful writing.
- Abi Wurdeman
- Great works may present and explain something about their own times, but also observe something larger and lasting about the human condition. A great work does convey the writer’s intentions, quite clearly, contrary to what some contemporary theorists argue.
- Great literature is based on ideas that are startling, unexpected, unusual, weighty. or new. Great literature makes us see or think things we never did before.
- Great literature is fine art. As such, it is aesthetically marvelous. Either the style of a great work is incredibly interesting and beautiful, or the drama leaves us breathless, or the characters or scenes are so expertly drawn.
- Great literature is complex enough to offer us something new every time we read it, especially at different stages of our lives. Like all great art, great works are based contrast and tension—not just conflicting characters, but also conflicting ideas, images, and viewpoints, allowing room for readers to entertain all sides, not just one idea the writer may be featuring.
Sep 22, 2017 · What makes great literature? I remember a New York Times article that tried to answer that question. It listed several aspects that contribute to a great book: It’s a good read; It’s quotable; It’s memorable; It touches people.
Reading and studying the writing of others – from the greats of literature to pulp fiction – helps to expand the range of your imagination, gives you new ideas, frees you from tired old tropes and lets you write something original and readable. 1. Studying literature helps you imitate the style of others – and develop a style of your own
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Jan 12, 2015 · This point might be summarised by saying: the best way to write a good English Literature essay is to be honest about the reading you’re putting forward, so you can be confident in your interpretation and use clear, bold language.
