Poet Philip Larkin had three criteria for a decent novel: Do I believe it? Do I care? Will I go on caring? It's vital that readers relate to your characters and the situations they find themselves in. Share enough of your characters' inner thoughts and emotions on the page, and watch your fictional figures crawl under a reader's skin and into her heart. Take some advice from Lauren Liebenberg, author of The Voluptuous Delights of Peanut Butter and Jam: " You've got to take a sober look at every word you've written and ask yourself what would make your reader care enough to turn the next page. And the thing that grabs readers by the throat is raw, gritty honesty; it's what brings characters to life and what binds readers to them." As readers, we want to empathise with our protagonists, to commiserate during their dark times and celebrate their triumphs. How willyour main character(s) develop over the course of your book? Will they shift from being timid to confident, emotionally closed to open? You decide. Finally, ask yourself, "What's the point of this story? What will people learn from it?", and ensure your book produces a couple of strong answers.
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10 Steps to writing a Bestseller
Μη-φαντασίαςIs it time you finally write that novel you have in you? Author Catriona Ross has inspirational tips to get your fingers tapping across your keyboard.
