How to Write a Good Book In Three Easy Steps
by Mary Kole | Former literary agent, now a freelance editor, writing teacher, and IP/story developer for major publishers and creators.
Recently, we’ve really zeroed in on three essential tips for how to write a good book. If you’re curious about these tried-and-true writing best practices, read on.
How To Write a Good Book: Make Me Care
At the core of learning how to write a good book is making readers care about the characters and the events of their story. If readers don’t care, the story won’t succeed, no matter how beautifully written or intricately plotted. Knowing how to write a good book means always thinking about how to evoke emotion in readers. This is mostly done by creating believable characters and writing objectives and strong motivations. Readers care about people who pursue their goals and dreams—and that’s the key to how to write a good book.
Balance Action and Information
Learning how to write a good book is a delicate balance between action and exposition, or the information you give to readers. Too much action and readers won’t be able to engage with the character or situation because they’re bogged down in facts. On the other hand, too much information without any action drags the narrative down. Both elements must be interwoven in order to keep readers engaged.
Whenever there is a lot of information being shared, it should be done so in an active way that keeps characters moving forward in the story. At times of high action, use emotional context to ensure readers remain invested in the character’s journey. Pacing in writing will help when you’re wondering how to write a good book.
Always Consider Character Emotions
Tying all of these elements together when you consider how to write a good book means adding emotion to that information and action. Writing emotion is the third point of the triangle of how to write a good book. Don’t forget to build in reaction beats whenever something important happens. Readers will look to your characters to see if a plot point lands with them, and they will choose their own emotional reactions accordingly.
How to Write a Good Book
If fiction is a combination of action and information, then emotion is the foundation of it all. This is what makes a reader care. Without emotion to hold everything together, your entire manuscript would be meaningless because it wouldn’t capture any emotion or the reader’s imagination.
Wondering how to write a good book? Well, you’re not alone. Just keep in mind that you should always be aware of our character’s emotions (especially if you are writing in third person narrative) and these emotions should be accessible and relatable to readers, ideally with the technique of interiority.
Even when writing scenes full of action or information-heavy passages, make sure to include your character’s thoughts, feelings, and reactions. You can also sprinkle in some Good Telling (when to tell instead of show) here and there as long as it is balanced with other elements.
Once you master these rules, you’ll be well on your way to mastering how to write a good book. Now, all you need to do is pick a character, settle on an idea, and design a plot. Okay, so how to write a good book is maybe not that easy, but if you keep these considerations in mind, you will be on your way.
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