6 ways to keep your readers hooked!
Whether you write short fiction or novels, you always want people to read until the very end. The worst thing that can happen is a story or novel fizzles out and the reader gives up. I’ve done it before. And I’m sure I have written many works of fiction that struggled to hold the reader’s attention.
Here are a few "tricks" you can use to keep your readers hooked until the very end:
- Break the action up: This means if you have an action scene, break it up with other scenes in between. This is one way of building suspense. So if the reader wants to know who broke into the woman’s hotel room (for example), then he/she will have to keep reading to find out. This is kind of a cheap trick because it’s so obvious, but it works!
- Keep long narratives to a minimum: I’ve read novels with pages and pages of narrative. No action. No dialogue. Just pages of description. Not very exciting, huh? While there is a place for passages like this, they should be kept to a minimum. And if you’re just starting out in writing, try to avoid this all together until you have a little more experience under your belt.
- Back up dialogue with action: If two or more characters are talking, try to throw a little "action" into the mix. By action I don’t mean gun-slinging chase scenes, rather, I’m talking about physical gestures, people moving around and doing things. This also helps the reader visualize the scene better.
- Don’t jump around too much: This mainly applies to novelists. I’m reading a science fiction novel right now that jumps around between several worlds, characters, sub-plots, etc. While it’s a good read, I’m having trouble keeping track of everything going on. It’s very intimidating, not to mention confusing.
- Don’t waste your reader’s time: If a scene doesn’t advance the plot, cut it like you’re chopping down a tree! Same applies to long narratives, dialogue and just about everything else. Keep that plot moving. The oldest and best "rule of thumb" for this goes something like: if a gun is mentioned in the first chapter, it better be used within the next few chapters (or something like that).
- Use 3D characters: The main characters in your story should be as well rounded as possible. Avoid using "stock characters" that are predictable and un-interesting. If a reader can predict what a character is going to do throughout the story, then the character is too flat and needs some puffing up. This is hard to do, especially for beginning writers. But this is another reason why it’s so important to have others reader your drafts, so they can point out any flat characters they come across.
Some of these tricks are easier than others, and I even hesitate to call them "tricks", as they are mostly just elements that make up good fiction writing. Remember that the reader will have a blank slate when they start to read your story or novel. You must give them what they need to not only finish the story, but also enjoy it along the way.
One thing I didn’t mention is that it’s very important where certain elements are in the story. For example, do you want a really long narrative right in the beginning? I’ll let you answer that. I’m currently putting together a 3-part series that will cover: beginnings, middles, and ends of stories. Each has a unique function within the story that plays an important role to your readers. So stay tuned!
Related posts
- 5 Lessons I’ve learned about writing dialogue in fiction
- Breathe life into your characters using action
- Story endings: Don’t cheat your readers
- 10 Ways to Jumpstart Your Writing Today!
- Easy Ways to Beat Writer’s Block
Read More: Writing Tips
