What makes fiction great

Good literary fiction has a plot. Many of the classic books typically studied in high school and university can be considered literary fiction in terms of the style of their writing. The majority of them have easily identifiable plots, such as the following all of which I read and studied :.

I remember studying The Dead and a few other of these stories in a third-year Modern Irish Literature course. So, good literary fiction—at least in my experience—is that which marries excellent plotting with thought-provoking language, or that which simply dazzles us with language and characterization even if the plotting remains subtle. In its defense, it was published by a niche publisher and therefore may not have had the benefit of the type of editing available to larger publishers.

But still. However, I did expect masterful use of language and storytelling. Fifty-pages-in, I found neither masterful language nor storytelling. My immediate reaction to the story was that the main character was really the just author writing about himself, in one form or another. And, I might add, I was completely bored reading it, because nothing was happening. Absolutely nothing. Again I say, if the plot is subtle, then language and characterization must intrigue your reader enough to keep them reading.

Strout also won the Pulitzer in for her book of interconnected short stories, Olive Kitteridge. In most ways, Isabelle and Amy are like any mother and her year-old daughter, a fierce mix of love and loathing exchanged in their every glance.

But when Amy is discovered behind the steamed-up windows of a car with her math teacher, the vast and icy distance between mother and daughter becomes unbridgeable. For your particular book, what do they want to read? What will keep them on a Friday night turning each page to see what happens next. It's different with each book, but once you capture your audience you have the makings for a success.

Writers write about what they know. They can bring the sounds, colors, and images of their world to life in their story. Fiction is where writers get the opportunity to bring you into that world and keep you there until, "the end. Editorials » Hobbies and Interests » Writing Guide ». What Makes a Good Fiction Book?

Here are five crucial elements of a good fiction book: Well-developed characters: The characters in the book must be well developed and believable. Now What Happens to It? Most Popular. Signs of Infidelity - 21 Categories of Cheating Signs.

Matte or Glossy Photos? The Monthly Period in Bible and Quran. Tips on Becoming a Better Football Player. Advantages of Taking Initiative at Work. Why have we left middle grade fiction out of that equation? When you reach the editing phase of your manuscript, it's important to know what kind of editing you're looking for in particular.

Author Tiffany Yates breaks down the 6 different types of editing. Here's her winning article, "Surfacing an Aquatic Diaspora. Here's her winning poem, "won't you celebrate with me.

Here's the winning poem, "She Lives in Underbridge World". Write Better Fiction. Short Story. Writing Techniques. Write Better Nonfiction. Personal Writing. Historical Books. Travel Books.

Business Books. Humor in Nonfiction. Creative Nonfiction. Write Better Poetry. Poetry Prompts. Poetic Forms. Interviews With Poets. Why I Write Poetry. Poetry FAQs. Get Published. Build My Platform. Find a Fiction Agent. Find a Nonfiction Agent.

Write My Query. Sell My Work. Business of Writing. Breaking In. Be Inspired. Writing Prompts. The Writer's Life. Writing Quotes. Vintage WD. From the Magazine. WD Competitions. Annual Competition. Self-Published Book. Self-Published Ebook. Popular Fiction.

Personal Essay. Short Short Story. From the Winners. Your Story. Write For Us. WD Podcasts.