What makes a story compelling? What draws the reader in?
I recently finished a seven book series, and yes there were tears when I said goodbye to the characters, the story, and the bow with "The End" on the ribbon. And yes, this series made it to my "yes, please, I want them all in hardcovers so I can reread the series more than once. Can I start rereading now, please?" list, with the hardcovers on order. No qualms if I read them electronically before the hardcovers arrive. The series was that good.
Why did I find this particular story compelling, often stopping the other books in my queue to read additional chapters and books for this saga?
The characters. They were struggling with issues I have struggled with and am currently facing in my own life. Like how to deal with parents, what it means to be a friend, how to heal from bad things happening, how to fight for what you believe in, and so much more. The characters changed from book to book that was real and thoughtful, making sense logically and with that kernel of humanness that made the characters breathe life into the words they said and the actions they took.
The plot. Who doesn't want fantasy with a little bit of everything, including romance, friendship, magic, and fighting on a Tolkien scale? There were twists and turns I couldn't predict, which is a huge win for me. I don't like guessing right all the time. Though the main character was fond of creating plans to hoodwink her enemies, she progressed to creating plans with her friends and allies, with the exception of a few in the final volume, instead of doing everything on her own.
The setting. Jungles, desert, sea, woods, mines, mountains, castles, cities, country roads, and villages. You name it, it was probably a location. Imagine the film or TV version!
The magic. I am a fan of magic systems. How does the author describe it? What are the logical components and world rules? Is it something I would want if I were living in that world? Would my "brand of magic" fit in?
But the point is, we as writers need to ask ourselves why we read in the first place, and why we want to write. Ask what about the story compels you. Buying a hardcover and wanting to reread it again, leaving a good review, and telling others about it so they could perhaps fall in love with the series, characters, plot, setting, and magic are some of my "compelling story" markers.
What do you find compelling in stories?
Bonus points if you can guess the series title and the author.
1 comment:
I think you pretty much nailed everything that makes a story compelling for me. Great review of this unnamed series - can you share the name of the series or author?
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