What Makes a Story Engaging?

@2023 Wendy Scheuring, The Author’s Writer

February 27, 2023 (updated)

Stories are expressions of ourselves. They are also extensions of ourselves. When we first begin to write, we write for ourselves, in order to understand our stories and once we do, we let go and release our message(s) into the world for others to receive, interpret, and enjoy. Being an author is an unselfish act because authors have no way of knowing exactly how their stories will be received.  Authors release their stories into the world, hoping that they will inspire others and create dreams.

Authors first write their stories to understand them for themselves, then release them into the world.

Here are the 12 crucial elements that make a story (fiction or nonfiction) engaging:

C        CREDIBLE. A story must be credible. If your story is unbelievable, then no one want to read it. Authors take the unbelievable and make it believable and credible. That is the artistic brush of the author, to turn fantasy into reality, to make the unreal seem real.

R        RESONATING. Your story must resonate with readers. In other words, readers will gravitate to your story because there is a commonality, an inherent connection, either apparent or perhaps not completely understood.

E        EXAMPLE. Your story must set an example. An example of how to behave or how not to behave. Your story must exemplify something of importance to readers that they should understand and recognize.

A        ACTION. Your story must have action.  A story can not rely only upon description or dialogue. It must have action. It must make the reader feel as if they are participating in the action, whether they feel as if they are experiencing the action or are an active observer.

T        THRILLING. Your story must not just have action, it must be thrilling.  It must show and tell the reader something they have not experienced before. As the author, you are taking your reader on a journey or a quest into the unknown.

E        EXAGGERATING. Your story must exaggerate, if even a little. Storytellers usually exaggerate the facts to make conversations or actions more appealing and even grander than they would be in real life.

Stories CREATE DREAMS

D        DIALOGUE. Your story must have dialogue, whether direct dialogue between characters of dialogue between author and reader. Make every word spoken count and let the dialogue lead the progression of your story.

R        RECOGNITION. Your story must help the reader recognize something in their own world or within themselves that they have never seen or imagined before.

E        EXTRAORDINARY. Your story must be extraordinary. It must go beyond the everyday and the mundane. It must be out of this world.

A        APPEALING. Your story must be appealing. Readers must actually like your story or your characters, even the bad ones.

M       MOVING. Your story must be moving. It must move readers to take action, voice an opinion, or help them see the possibilities or opportunities.

S        SUSPENSEFUL. Your story must be suspenseful. This means that it is a page-turner. The reader cannot wait to find out how it will end. They may be compelled to read your book in one day and never want to put it down.

Need more information on writing a book? The Author’s Writer is here to help you create the story of your dreams so that you can help your readers create their own dreams.