I’m sure you’ve heard the adage: “Write what you know.” Well, that may be true to some extent, but what if you want to write about something or someone you don’t know? If that’s the case, then maybe it’s time we all took a page out of Stephen King’s book.
Yes, I said it! The master of horror himself has released a book called On Writing which is described as a “highly personal account” of his life and career as an author. And guess what? He talks about writing fiction like this:
She Wrote What She Knew and It Worked Like Magic; So Can You!
| Key Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Incorporate Unique Characters and their Motivations |
| 2. Develop Intriguing Plot Twists |
| 3. Create Immersive and Vivid Settings |
| 4. Weave Thought-Provoking Themes |
| 5. Craft Memorable and Impactful Dialogue |
| 6. Experiment with Narrative Structures |
| 7. Blend Emotionally Resonant Elements |
| 8. Introduce Unconventional Story Arcs |
| 9. Employ Symbolism and Metaphors |
| 10. Offer Unexpected Resolutions |
| 11. Balance Action and Reflection |
| 12. Convey Underlying Messages and Morals |
| 13. Capture Readers with Engaging Opening Lines |
| 14. Maintain Consistency in Tone and Voice |
| 15. Strive for Originality and Innovation |
| 16. Iterate and Polish Your Writing |
| 17. Embrace Feedback and Continuous Improvement |
An Interesting Main Character
One of the most important things you can do to make your book stand out is create an interesting main character.
When people talk about reading books or watching movies, they often say something like “I just loved the characters so much.” Why? Because characters are what draw readers into a story and keep them there.
When you’re creating a main character, it’s good to remember that he or she should be three-dimensional and have strong personality traits that define who they are as individuals.
A strong motivation for why they act in certain ways will also help them stand out from other characters in their genre or field, making them more memorable for readers.
In addition to this basic description of what makes up an individual with depth and color, it’s also helpful if there’s some sort of conflict between what your protagonist wants versus what obstacles get in his way throughout the story (this creates drama!).
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An Exciting Setting
Setting is extremely important in every type of story, whether it’s a novel or a short story. A good setting will make readers feel like they are right there in the middle of the action.
A great setting will make your reader feel like they have been transported to another time and place, which makes them more invested in the story because they can relate to those characters more easily.
The setting should be interesting and relevant to your story. For example, if you’re writing about two sisters who were born into poverty but become wealthy after one wins a lottery jackpot.
Then you would want their early lives as poor children living in an apartment complex where most people don’t have jobs/money because they live below the poverty line (therefore having little money).
But later moving into nicer houses after winning the said jackpot would be perfect because now all these memories come back that weren’t there before such as school lunches vs home-cooked meals, etc…
A Strong Opening Chapter
A strong opening chapter can draw a reader in and make them want to keep reading.
A strong opening chapter should be engaging, intriguing, memorable, and interesting. The first words you write should be compelling enough that your reader doesn’t put your book down until they’ve finished the whole thing.
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A Surprising Conclusion
The final thing you can do to make your novel stand out is the most important: leave the reader wanting more. Just as a movie or TV show leaves its viewers wanting to see what happens next, it’s essential that a good book leaves its readers with a craving for more.
This is often accomplished through a surprising conclusion that leaves them thinking about it long after they’ve finished reading.
The best way to do this is by making sure your setting feels real and believable before throwing in some shocking twist at the end of the novel (but don’t overdo it). You want people to rationalize their reactions based on what they know about your characters and their world.
So if there are any glaring inconsistencies, they’ll be forced into asking themselves why they just wasted their time reading this book when they could’ve been doing something else instead!
A Powerful Theme
The theme of your novel is the underlying meaning behind everything in it. It can be a powerful tool for building a connection with readers, and it’s important that you find something that resonates with you as an author.
Be true to yourself: To write something that matters to your audience, you need to first know what matters to you as an artist. If there’s something about life or society that gets under your skin, then tap into it for inspiration!
Know what readers want: Readers are looking for books that speak on their level, so if they can see themselves reflected in the characters or situations within the novel (or if they can at least relate).
Then they’ll keep reading because they feel like they belong there too which makes them invested in how things turn out!
Listen carefully: One way authors can get feedback from potential readers is by attending book clubs and conferences where people show up looking forward to hearing ideas from all kinds of authors, not just those who happen upon similar themes or genres together on accident!
This gives authors chances not only when talking with one another but also when listening carefully so as not miss any clues about what readers want most out there today.”
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A Fast Pace
A fast pace is essential. You need to keep the reader engaged, and as soon as they’re not interested, they’ll put your book down. You can do this by keeping the story moving quickly and keeping them guessing what will happen next.
The best way to do this is with a fast-paced narrative that introduces new elements without slowing down for too long.
Developed Characters
A character who’s well developed is one that has a backstory, a personality, a goal and flaw. They have a conflict with their surroundings. They may have some kind of secret that they’re keeping from others or themselves (or both).
Perhaps they’ve got a relationship to another character (friend/lover/parent/etc.) that affects the story in some way.
A good example would be Harry Potter from JK Rowling’s Harry Potter series: he lost his parents as an infant but was raised in the care of his aunt and uncle; he had two friends who were also orphans;
He was sorted into Gryffindor’s house at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry where he met many new people; along with making new friends at school.
Harry also made enemies by revealing him being able to do magic when he was supposed to be unable to perform magic outside of Hogwarts grounds due to an enchantment placed on him when Voldemort tried killing him when still an infant.
This caused problems between himself and other students due
to jealousy over having abilities greater than theirs while others hated him because they believed it meant trouble ahead once Voldemort returned again someday since only someone “pure” could kill him (this didn’t stop them trying though);
Despite having trouble fitting in at first due mostly to being shunned by others around then later bullied by Draco Malfoy (who didn’t like losing out against someone less talented than himself) after becoming friends with Hermione Granger.
Instead, since she helped teach him everything she knew about magic which gave them instant rapport upon meeting each other initially during those early days before school began
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Intriguing Subplots
Subplots are mini-stories that are woven into the main story. They take place alongside or in between elements of the main plot, but they’re not as important.
Subplots should be related to the main plot, but they shouldn’t be too similar otherwise, it will feel like you’re stretching things out just for sake of adding more pages.
The most interesting subplots are usually ones that aren’t resolved neatly by the end of your book; instead, they leave readers wondering if there’s more to come (and if so…what?).
To make sure this happens, it’s best to introduce intriguing subplots early on and develop them throughout your manuscript so readers stay engaged until the end!
A Satisfying End To The Story
The ending of your story should be satisfying to the reader, but also to you as the writer. If it’s not satisfying for you, then it won’t be for them either.
While some genres don’t require a happy ending (the horror genre is a good example), others do. Readers expect certain things from their favorite books and getting them wrong will make them angry with you!
But there are plenty of ways to write a satisfying ending that doesn’t have anything to do with having everyone live happily ever after:
- The main character learns something important about themselves or life in general at the end of the book
- The main character finds closure after an awful experience they went through during their journey (maybe even literal closure like cutting off an arm or leg)
An Emotional Impact On The Reader
Consider what you want the reader to feel. You may want them to laugh, or cry, or feel inspired.
As a writer, you don’t just have to tell your story you also have to give it an emotional impact on your audience. One way that I do this is through my characters and their circumstances.
When writing fiction novels for children (or any genre), I always consider how my characters’ actions can be both positive and negative influences on others as well as themselves. Do they make selfish choices? Or selfless ones?
Are they happy with their life’s trajectory (or lack thereof), or do they wish things were different? All of these questions help me create dynamic characters that readers will care about more deeply than if they were simply presented with a flat character.
Without any backstory whatsoever! And if readers care about these characters enough, then hopefully they’ll follow along with them throughout their journey with genuine feelings of hope or inspiration instead of mere curiosity because “what happens next?”
Genuine Dialogue That Flows Naturally
One of the most powerful tools in your arsenal is dialogue. It’s what makes your characters come alive, it adds color and authenticity to a scene, and it can help you craft a narrative that feels authentic.
But if you don’t use dialogue well, then it won’t do any of those things for you it will just be clunky and awkward instead.
So what does good dialogue look like? Well first off: it should be natural and believable! Your characters shouldn’t sound like they stepped out of an old movie or something written by Shakespeare (unless they were written by Shakespeare).
Also, make sure that their words are relevant to what they’re saying you don’t want them saying something really important while they’re talking about how much they love cats!
And lastly: make sure that the sentences themselves aren’t too long or complicated so as not to distract from their meaning.”
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Your Novel Should Have Appealing Features
Have you ever read a book and found yourself captivated by the story? Or maybe you’ve been able to relate to the characters in a way that made them feel like real people. If so, then you’ve experienced what makes a novel appealing.
Appealing features are important because they help readers connect with their stories. They also make it easier for readers to relate to the characters and become invested in their lives.
Appealing features are essential for any novel, but it can be hard for new writers to know where exactly they should start looking for these traits.
Fortunately, there are several common elements among popular novels that often make them more appealing:
An Impossible-To-Put-Down Pace
The most important thing to keep in mind when writing your novel is that it should keep the reader engaged. Readers will not want to read your book if they’re bored, so you need to make sure that you have a good plot, story and message.
You also need characters who are interesting and realistic for your audience – this helps them relate to the book and makes them feel like they can take something away from it.
A Shocking Twist Or Surprise Ending
One of the things that can make your novel stand out is if you add a shocking twist or surprise ending. The twist should be unexpected, logical, and the result of your story and characters’ actions.
It should also be believable you don’t want to shock your readers with an ending so out-of-left-field that they’re left wondering how exactly everything came together (and scratching their heads).
For example, if there’s a murder mystery in which one character killed another because they suspected them of being the murderer, then it would make sense for that character to turn out to be innocent after all and not the murderer.
A Strong, Memorable Antagonist
- The antagonist is the character who opposes your protagonist.
- They are the source of conflict in your story and cause trouble for your hero or heroine.
- An effective antagonist is memorable and stands out from other characters in the book, whether they’re minor or major.
A strong, memorable antagonist will make it obvious why they are evil (their motives), but also why they seem justified in their actions (their backstory). It’s important to remember that these two things aren’t mutually exclusive: people can be bad for many reasons, not just one!
An Unforgettable Protagonist
The main character of your story should have an unforgettable personality. Your protagonist should be likable and relatable, but they must also be interesting and dynamic.
They should be a good role model for your readers, who will also learn something about themselves as they follow along with your character’s journey.
The protagonist can help you to demonstrate aspects of the theme (or message) that will resonate with your audience by serving as an example of what not to do or what we need most in order to become better people.
An Unusual Opening Hook
A unique opening sentence is crucial to making your story stand out from the crowd. It has to grab the reader’s attention and get them interested in reading more because if you don’t do that, most people will just flip past your book and move on to something else.
If you can manage to make them want to read even a few more pages than that, then you’ve got yourself a loyal reader for life!
Conclusion
I hope that this article has helped you to understand what makes a story stand out.
It can be difficult to think of new and creative ways to make your novel stand out from the crowd, but it’s worth the effort because readers are always looking for something different.
You just need to keep your eyes open for opportunities where you can bring something fresh or original into your writing and make it work for you!
Further Reading
For additional insights on enhancing your novel writing and creating memorable stories, check out these resources:
17 Ways to Make Your Novel More Memorable Explore creative techniques to make your novel stand out in readers’ minds. Discover how to leave a lasting impact with your storytelling.
Tips for Crafting a Cherished Book Learn valuable strategies to turn your book into a cherished masterpiece. Find out how to create an emotional connection with your readers.
Unlocking the Elements of a Great Novel Dive into the essential elements that contribute to the greatness of a novel. Gain insights into what makes a story truly exceptional.
FAQs
What are some effective ways to make a novel more memorable?
Discover various techniques, such as unique character development, unexpected plot twists, and immersive settings, to enhance the memorability of your novel.
How can I create a cherished book?
Craft a cherished book by weaving relatable emotions, well-developed characters, and thought-provoking themes into your story, fostering a deep connection with readers.
What elements contribute to a great novel?
A great novel is built upon a foundation of compelling characters, engaging plotlines, vivid descriptions, and resonant themes that captivate readers.
How do I make my novel stand out?
To make your novel stand out, focus on originality, strong storytelling, and the incorporation of fresh perspectives that captivate and engage your audience.
What role does emotional resonance play in novel writing?
Emotional resonance is crucial as it enables readers to connect deeply with characters and themes, fostering an enduring impact and making your novel memorable.
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.