Contributed by Karen Cioffi, Children's Writer and Self-Publisher
What was the last story you read that stayed with you. A story that made you feel. A story that took you on an adventure or had you sitting on the edge of your seat.
These types of stories have it. They have the key to making a story work.
So, how do you go about creating a story like this?
5 TOP TIPS TO WRITING A FICTION STORY THAT WORKS
1. It’s got to have conflict.
Your protagonist MUST be striving for something, and it should be something significant. She needs obstacles in her way that she must overcome to keep the reader engaged enough to turn the page.
The reader has to be pulled into the story, wondering if, and more so hoping that, the protagonist reaches her goal.
You wouldn’t have much of a story following a couple in an amusement park going from ride to ride, waiting in line for food, and so on. There’s nothing for the reader to get involved with. There’s no emotional element.
Or, what if a great writer puts two children in a story that takes place at the Bronx Zoo? The narrator describes in detail all the exhibits they visit, and does it wonderfully. But what does the reader have to sink her teeth into?
One of my all-time favorite movies was Thelma and Louise. The conflict was never-ending. And it was the conflict that kept you on the edge of your seat.
That’s how you want your readers to feel. There needs to be conflict in order to make the reader feel. It doesn’t have to be ‘seat of your pants’ drama, but it needs to be significant. It can be external or internal, but it has to be something the reader can grab and hang on to.
2. The readers need to be invested.
A good story brings the reader into the protagonist’s shoes. This is what will motivate the reader to like and root for the protagonist.
The story has to have substance.
Going back to Thelma and Louise, one wrong decision spiraled out of control into what seemed to them like a live-or-die situation.
Circumstances and choices took them bounding out of control, as if caught up in a tornado.
It evoked emotion in just about everyone who saw the movie. Everyone was rooting for the protagonists.
In an article titled “Make Readers Deeply Connect to Your Characters,” the author calls this key factor “transportation.”
You’re bringing the reader out of their reality and into your story world. You’re transporting them. Like Alice when she steps into the rabbit hole. Down, down, down she went into another world.
3. The characters have to act ‘real’ and be likable.
Your characters need to be multifaceted. They need to behave like real people. This means they’ll have both good and bad traits, as well as weaknesses. It may be they’re indecisive or afraid of everything.
Your characters should make great decisions, but they should also make poor ones.
Along with this, your protagonist needs to be likable. He needs to have traits that the reader will admire and connect with. It’s important that the reader likes the protagonist.
Maybe your protagonist will be honest, heroic, responsible, or loyal.
You get the idea. These are characteristics that most people admire in others. They’re characteristics that will draw the reader in.
I forgot what movie it was, and I forgot the exact details, but basically, the protagonist was sitting in a diner across from her date. Another woman, elegantly dressed, walked past with toilet paper stuck to the bottom of her shoe. The toilet paper woman was heading to a table where a man was waiting for her.
The protagonist excused herself for a moment. She got up, walked behind the woman, and stepped on the paper to remove it from the woman’s shoe. Then she sat back down and returned to her conversation.
The woman who passed by never knew the kindness the protagonist showed her. And the protagonist didn’t mention what she did to her date.
This simple act of kindness spoke volumes about the protagonist’s character. She’s the type of person you’d like to be friends with.
4. The protagonist needs to have some heroic qualities.
At some point in the story, the protagonist needs to take action. This can be in several small incidents that she overcomes throughout the story. Or it can be in a single climactic incident that wraps up the story.
It may be after one, two, or three failures, but ultimately, the protagonist must step up. Whether it’s physical or emotional, whether internal or external, she needs to fight through all obstacles that stand in her way.
Readers want a purposeful story. They want and even expect the protagonist to be victorious.
5. Tie up all loose ends.
When you’re getting to the end of your story, make sure all loose ends are tied up. Any tidbits of information you put out there must be resolved.
You don’t want her wondering why something was mentioned in the story and left unresolved.
One example is mentioning that the protagonist’s close friend lost his dog. Then there’s no mention of it. Was the dog found?
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE DOG?
Another example is in a middle-grade manuscript I just read. The author had the protagonist’s friend say he couldn’t attend the protagonist’s special event because he had something URGENT to do that day.
Afterward, there was no mention of the urgent matter.
This is a NO-NO. What was so urgent? Why was it mentioned if it wasn’t followed up on?
As I read the manuscript, I knew that part would either have to be addressed (tied up) or eliminated.
These loose ends are things that will gnaw at the reader.
So, there you have it.
While there is more involved in writing good fiction, these five are at the top of the ‘good fiction story’ list.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Karen Cioffi is a children’s writer and self-publisher with clients worldwide. For more tips on writing for children or if you need help with your children’s story, please visit Karen Cioffi Writing for Children. While there, you can check out Karen’s books.
And don’t forget to CONNECT.
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MORE ABOUT THE BLOGGER
Carolyn Howard-Johnson is the multi award-winning author of fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. She is also a marketing consultant, editor, and author of the multi award-winning #HowToDoItFrugally Series (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BTXQL27T/ ) of books for writers including "The Frugal Book Promoter" (https://bit.ly/FrugalBookPromoIII), and "The Frugal Editor" both offered in their third editions by Modern History Press. Others in that series are "How to Get Great Book Reviews Frugally and Ethically," and two booklets, both in their second editions also from Modern History Press. The booklets, "Great Little Last Minute Editing Tips for Writers" (https://bit.ly/LastMinuteEditsII) and "Great First Impression Book Proposals" (https://bit.ly/BookProposalsII) are career boosters in mini doses and both make ideal thank you gifts for authors. The one on writing book proposals is also available as an Audio Book. "The Frugal Editor "(https://tinyurl.com/TheFrugalEditor), was recently released in its third edition. It is the winningest book in this series for writers.
Carolyn also has three frugal books for retailers including one she encourages authors to read because it helps them understand what is needed to convince retailers to host their workshops, presentations, and signings. It is "A Retailer’s Guide to Frugal In-Store Promotions: How To Increase Profits and Spit in the Eyes of Economic Downturns with Thrifty Events and Sales Techniques" (https://bit.ly/RetailersGuide). In addition to this blog, Carolyn helps writers extend the exposure of their favorite reviews at https://TheNewBookReview.blogspot.com. She also blogs all things editing--grammar, formatting and more--at "The Frugal, Smart, and Tuned-In Editor" (https://TheFrugalEditor.blogspot.com). Learn more and follow it to get news on her new releases directly from Amazon at https://bit.ly/CarolynsAmznProfile.
