What makes a successful book? If publishers knew the answer to that, they would turn out a never-ending string of best-sellers. They don't of course, so there is no real answer, but we do know some of the things that should be in place.
- The plot must have structure and proportion. The story must be in equilibrium. Stories that are in balance are beautiful, when they aren’t, they start to feel ugly.
- A story should never turn into a diatribe of desolation and emotional distress. Readers soon get tired of things like that, they become worn out.
- Readers should associate with characters. You make this connection possible by ensuring events COULD happen in that type of situation.
- The pace of the story should vary. Some scenes should be calmer than others.
- After a chapter containing an important incident, give readers chance to recuperate by writing a more leisurely scene.... Not a dull scene of course, but one with fewer disparities, fewer ups and downs.
- Make your plot congruent with life but LARGER than life.
Give your readers interesting and believable variation and if you're lucky, they’ll give you time.
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