Is your work of fiction worth reading?

There are many elements that contribute to making a work of fiction worth reading. While each part is essential, there are four elements that are vital to transforming your work from a boring jumble of words into a true work of art.

The idea: This is where every great work of fiction begins. Ideas can come from various places. Sometimes an idea just pops into your head or escapes your imagination, but more often, something in your life will trigger an idea for a story. A personal experience is a wonderful source of ideas. Many writers come across new topics while working on a completely different project. Ideas can be gleaned from television, newspaper articles, or by listening to a story on the grocery store checkout line. Story ideas are all around you, so it’s important to keep a notebook with you to jot them down when they come to you.

2. The Plot: There has been a lot of discussion about whether you should choose your plot or your characters first. Personally, I think you should choose your plot. After all, how do you know who your characters should be if you don’t even know what they’re doing? The plot is the element that takes your idea and transforms it into a story. It is the part that moves the story from “Point A” to “Point B”. For your story to be exciting, your plot must be exciting. Think of it as a roller coaster. Up and down. Fast slow. Turn, turn. Your plot should do all of this. The best plots are those in which the reader experiences opposite emotions in the same chapter. Happy Sad. Scared, relaxed. Sure, in doubt. Keep the story moving and your reader will continue to turn the pages. Let the story stop, and your book will likely end up on the shelf. That’s how important the plot is!

Characters: The next thing every good story needs is good characters. Notice that I said “good characters” not just “characters”. The character is the person (or sometimes animal) who lives the story. For the story to be believable, the characters must be believable. Unfortunately, there are a lot of good storylines that lack realistic characters. People are dull and lifeless, which makes it difficult for the reader to relate. Bring your characters to life with action, dialogue, and description. Get to know your character and help your reader get to know him too.

Setting: While this element is not as important as the other three, the setting often plays a vital role in a story. Settings not only tell the reader “where” and “when,” it can also help set the mood. For example, if your setting is on the battlefield in the middle of the Revolutionary War, there is a mood of fear, sadness, and regret. If your story takes place in a dark and spooky house on a stormy night, you’ve set it up for the perfect mystery.

While there are many other elements in a work of fiction, these are the most important. Master them and your story will be worth reading and hopefully even published.