12
votes
Does the reader need to like the PoV character?
Most books written in the first person have a likeable narrator, but it's absolutely not necessary. However, as readers we do have a natural tendency to sympathise with the narrator, and the tension ...
10
votes
Accepted
What to avoid when writing distant and inconsequential POVs?
Emotional Connection:
My normal advice for someone with a minor character POV would be to not create too much emotional connection to the character, since they are usually there just to fill in a ...
- 13.7k
9
votes
Accepted
In ancient writings, was it usual to address the reader?
This answer is written on the assumption that you are looking for medieval or Middle English (11th to 15th century) examples of what is often referred to as 'breaking the fourth wall'. Breaking the ...
- 985
8
votes
Accepted
Does the reader need to like the PoV character?
Some people need to like the MC, yes.
And they don't seem to change their mind just because the writing is good or the situation is original.
Me, I need consistent characters that have believable ...
- 27.8k
7
votes
How to make a story not just constant action?
In The Bestseller Code, Matthew Jockers and Jodie Archer identify the elements of bestselling fiction through computational text analysis.
Among other results, their research shows that bestsellers ...
- 14.1k
7
votes
How to make a story not just constant action?
Stories where things just happen get very tedious very fast. Sometimes a great voice or imaginative element can defer that tediousness for a while.
Stories where things happen for a reason are more ...
- 12.9k
7
votes
Struggling with the number of themes in my work
A beloved teacher once told me that authors should not worry about theme. It's the readers' and critics' job to figure out what themes are in a piece. It's the author's job to tell a good story. ...
- 4,077
5
votes
Struggling with the number of themes in my work
It sounds like what you want to create is literature rather than just a work that might soon be forgotten. The degree of skill and talent required because of the difficulty of your task is ...
- 12.3k
5
votes
Does the reader need to like the PoV character?
Differentiate between unlikeable actions and unlikeable personality
Unlikeable actions would be something like trying to end all of humanity. If the character is charismatic I would root for him. I ...
- 231
4
votes
Does the reader need to like the PoV character?
No
The POV character does not have to be liked by the reader, and lots of examples to the contrary have already been listed in the other answers.
But a POV character needs something else - he needs ...
- 4,544
4
votes
How to make a story not just constant action?
Character Growth
Over the course of the story your character grows and changes. The character in the last scene should be noticeably different than the character in the first scene.
The grizzled ...
- 2,124
4
votes
Struggling with the number of themes in my work
Ambiguity is probably a lack of intentional structure. Themes (like most story elements that exist outside the text in the reader's mind) need a beginning, middle, and end state to feel intentional.
...
- 27.8k
4
votes
Does the reader need to like the PoV character?
Not necessarily, but usually.
Almost any "rule" that one could give about writing has exceptions. If you break the rules and do it well, you can have a particularly off-beat and interesting story.
...
- 25.7k
4
votes
Accepted
What is the best way to simulate grief?
It is more engendering grief in the reader than simulating it, but one must be careful lest the beloved character you killed off be the only one the reader cares about. It is one thing for the reader ...
- 12.3k
4
votes
Accepted
How to make sure that my reader has not forgotten an incident or character which was described earlier and referenced much later in the writing?
You don't have to rely solely on your readers memory - you can rely on your characters memory.
Just have your characters or narrator repeat the most important parts and show how the former little, ...
- 5,696
3
votes
Too Many Goals?
You can manage four goals, but they must be useful to the plot.
So your overall arc is "growing up", selfish kid to mature adult, along with "coming of age" (sexual maturity).
The examples you have ...
- 104k
3
votes
Does the reader need to like the PoV character?
I think the reader has to like the POV character. Everything is seen through their eyes and thoughts and feelings. If those are repellent to the reader, they cannot identify, and without that, I think ...
- 104k
3
votes
What is the best way to simulate grief?
The best way I know of is to make the reader feel the grief too. By this I mean you build the character so well, make them so loved, that when they die it hurts. Then the reader doesn't just imagine ...
- 4,471
3
votes
How to make a story not just constant action?
How do I write it so that the MC isn’t just facing conflict after conflict, but make it not seem like filler.
Simple, put other types of story drivers into the event structure. Discovery. Emotion. ...
1
vote
What to avoid when writing distant and inconsequential POVs?
Have you considered splitting this off into a separate story? It could perhaps be written as a short story, or perhaps another novel. In my opinion, that would be the best option if there is minimal ...
- 561
1
vote
What to avoid when writing distant and inconsequential POVs?
I don't understand why this guy is in the story, if he does not affect the plot.
The reader will be disappointed in following Fred if there is no payoff at the end that finally connects Fred to the ...
- 104k
1
vote
Chapters in my thriller before the main threat comes in
Will this drive readers away?
Yes and no. It all depends on your implementation, and you have to thread a needle.
At the very start of your story the reader doesn't know or care for your characters ...
- 3,245
1
vote
Starting a literary magazine
If you have an existing social media following you could start there to promote it and ask everyone to get the word out.
A prime way would be to reach out to other small literary journals and strike ...
1
vote
What can I ask my readers to help me and how?
Ask them for sources or documentation!
Since your topic can be considered as niche and pretty advanced, your target demographic is already made of well-cultured "colleagues". They might be themselves ...
- 21
1
vote
What can I ask my readers to help me and how?
Ask them for topic suggestions directly.
Ask your audience what things they have noticed and what they feel strongly about.
Make it a point to base your posts around reader suggestions and then you ...
- 728
1
vote
How to create conflict in micro fiction which force reader to interact
While clickbait are psychological tricks that are good but very well known nowadays, one option should be to take a strong position on one important topic that make people debate or disagree strongly.
...
- 335
1
vote
Too Many Goals?
He sounds like a social character who has got all the attention a teenager (I'm not assuming he is one) could want - it’s good if he has some goals but too many would get tedious - what is the most ...
- 1,337
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible