I think the biggest thing that makes readers keep reading is.... Mystery. No, it doesn't mean you have to write a "who-done-it," but the best novels start out with a "Big Question" that the rest of the novel must answer. Here are a few examples: Pride and Prejudice: Can Elizabeth Bennet and her sisters make "good … Continue reading Your Novel’s “Big Question”
Tag: Divergent
It's a topic that, in real life, we think about more than we'd like to admit: how much we make, how much we can spend, and how we can make more money all has a place in our thoughts. (And if we're being completely honest, we'd have to say that making money from writing is … Continue reading Do Your Characters Worry About Money?
These days, we have to be our own editors if our novels are going to succeed, get an agent, a publisher, or the share of the reading market that we want. And sometimes, our own tendencies as writers can work against us. It’s so easy to get caught up following a few favorite characters around … Continue reading Three Questions to Ask Your Novel
