So you have a story idea? Congradulations you are well on your way to having a book. But a good book is more than just an idea, it's an expression. A book that doesn't make the reader think or feel is a boring book and one people are likely to put down. You don't have to explore politics, cutting edge moral questions, or complex deep philosiphies to have a good book. Some of the best books in the world were written with the sole intention to tell a good story. One example? The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien wrote The Lord of the Rings with the idea that he just wanted to tell a good story, with complexities and compelling interesting characters. While it is hard to deny that the themes of war and savagry expressed in the book were not colored by the horrors of WWII, which Tolkien had witnessed during it's conseption, it's hard to say that they had anything to do with the innumerable pages and pages of hobbit histories, family liniages, and many many daily meals expressed in great detail.
So what made The Lord of the Rings so good when easily the first several chapters focus on a character that is not our main character, and on events that happen to have (arguably) nothing to do with the journy to distroy The One Ring? Well, it makes us think.
You are always wondering what will happen next? What danger will they have to get themselves out of around the next stretch of road, and who, if anyone, will betray them? This is one of the key elements in good plot creation. Never allow your reader to know everything and always keep them guessing.
When planning or plants or pantsing your story, try to keep in mind that the point of a story is to have your reader discover the world slowly yet excitingly. Sure you know everything, or most of everything, but they shouldn't. When first drafting info-dumping is quiet alright (AKA show vs tell), but coming back to that information later it is imparative that you, as the writer, reallly think on how much if any of that information is nessisary to tell the story correctly. Think of how boring The Lord of the Rings would have been if Tolkien had started the book with 'this is the tale of . . . ' and then every major plot ending. We never quiet know through The Lord of the Rings if Frodo will throw the Ring into the fires from which it was forged. We read to find out and Tolkien takes us on a magnificently exciting ride to that answer. Excite your reader, take their breath away, make them think and feel, and do every bit of it seem like you did it intentionally.
In essense, a good story, is a quest to an answer. Pose your question, and taken them on the ride.
Thank you so much for reading this short first attempt at giving advice. I hope you found it at least a bit informative and thank you so much for sticking with me as I begin the journy to figuring out how to write this sort of content. If you have any question leave a comment!
Have a magical day!
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