{"id":5983,"date":"2024-02-23T16:42:15","date_gmt":"2024-02-23T16:42:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wp.novlr.org\/?p=5983"},"modified":"2024-02-23T16:42:16","modified_gmt":"2024-02-23T16:42:16","slug":"what-makes-a-good-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.novlr.org\/the-reading-room\/what-makes-a-good-story\/","title":{"rendered":"What Makes a Good Story?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Every writer aims to tell a story that captivates, resonates, and stays with readers long after they turn the last page. Everybody wants to write a good story. They want their readers to immerse themselves in their narrative world, and maybe even find something thought-provoking in its pages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But what exactly makes a story “good”? Is it the plot, the characters, the setting, or something less definable?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGood\u201d is subjective. What one reader might enjoy is not what another reader will take from it. One reader might only consider books with beautiful prose and perfect line craft good, whereas another might not care at all about the quality of individual lines as long as the story entertains them. But, while there isn\u2019t a definitive answer to what makes a good story, there are certain elements that stories share to make them entertaining and draw readers in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Know your audience<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The most important element of writing a \u201cgood story\u201d is to know your audience. What your readers will consider good will depend a lot on the genre you\u2019re writing in, or the audience you\u2019re writing for, so it\u2019s absolutely essential to know this in advance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, young adult novels often focus on coming-of-age themes and fast-paced plots, while literary fiction might prioritise complex characters and layered themes. Readers of thriller and crime novels would look for suspense, action, and unpredictability, readers of historical fiction might prioritise historical accuracy<\/a> and realistic plot development, while those who read paranormal romance<\/a> might prefer elements of fantasy, mystery, and the temptation of supernatural love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A book that doesn\u2019t consider its audience is never going to be considered \u201cgood\u201d by its readers. So the first step for any good story is to write one that your intended audience is going to want to read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Engaging characters<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The heart of any great story often lies in its characters. Characters are the soul of a narrative that readers connect with. What makes a good character will once again depend on your audience, so make sure you consider your readers in all the following advice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n