What Qualities Make a Good Story?
- A strong conflict and sense of plot arc are essential for a story to be effective. Creating a conflict can be as simple as thinking of what your character wants (material or emotional) and what obstacles are in her way. Conflict should be introduced early in the story, somewhere within the first page if possible, in order to immediately engage the reader and inspire him to want to keep reading. The first paragraph is often ideal for creating a vivid scene, pulling the reader in and beginning the conflict. The plot should also be developed logically and reach a climax (either through external action or internal realization of the main character) before winding down to the resolution.
- A good short story shouldn't have more than three major characters because too large of a cast can be difficult to keep track of. Your main character should be well-rounded and dynamic. This means that the character should be somehow changed by the conflict and experience a "turn" in the resolution. He should seem as much like a real person as possible, and we will learn about the character as readers through actions, internal and external dialogue and physical descriptions which will bring it to life.
- Descriptive sensory details about setting and characters help make the story seem realistic and place the readers in the characters' skins. Not only should your characters be described well, but readers should be allowed access to sensory information that the characters experience. Air temperature, stomach upset, sounds, sweating, smells, feelings of touch and taste make the characters and their world more vivid.
- For a story to resonate with readers long after it has been read, it needs a theme to unify it. Theme goes beyond basic plot structure and gives the story meaning. Think about the message that you want to convey to your readers. It doesn't have to be overt; indeed, many stories' themes are implied, but a story without even an implied theme will risk sounding like a hollow chain of events.
