What makes a good story?

[rune]

I find strong characters, not necessarily goodie goodie mind, but strong believable characters makes a good story.

Good scenice and believable ideas behind magic in a fantasy story and the world and it's ideals but this detail (for me) shouldnt be dumped in large lumps onto the reader so that it spoils the flow of the story.

Interesting and unusual events, especially for fantasy, that stretches the imagination. I find quite a few newer authors are making this leap and producing brilliant stories
A fast pace in a storyline is a must for me, I can't stand slow plodding stories

 

[Jayaprakash Satyamurthy]

A conflict that I can care about. Characters and a setting I can believe in. Language that draws me in, either for its beauty or its innovation. Unbridled imagination tied to a plot that has some directional flow. At least one fresh idea!

 

[Black_Wolf]

I think what everyone's said so far is true, about characters and such, especially dwndrgn about the sitting down with the character, weeding a garden with them (i like it ). But one thing I think is really important is atmosphere.

I know some would consider atmosphere going along with setting, but I think it's completely different. Setting gives a broad sense, but atmosphere makes the reader feel like they are actually there. If a writer is desribing a storm, which one would make you feel like your there?

1. The clouds moved slowly across the sky. They cast darkness over Sara and Jimmy, making them a dull gray. Lightning crahsed down in the distance as thunder crashed, making the two kids jump. The rain began to pour down on them like a waterfall.

-or-​

2. The dark clouds rolled in and out of each other as they surged forward with what seemed evil intentions. The sharp wind that carried the menacing clouds blasted the surrounding trees, bending them enough to make them groan like an old man retrieving the paper. Jimmy stared into the sky as the cool wind chilled his entire body. Sara shuddered from the breeze and latched onto her brothers arm as lightning crackeled across the sky, illuminating the deepest darkest clouds like a nightlight. The two siblings began to run for the nearest cover as rain began to assault the ground as if someone had released a lever, emptying the clouds of their cargo. Sara and Jimmy sat under a small tree as the chilling rain dripped from the ends of their matted hair.​

I think that atmosphere can make or break a story. Granted, too many details about it can bog down the story, but if not enough, there's really no way to tell the difference between a swamp and a plain.​

​

-And yes, I know, Sara and Jimmy probably shouldn't be under that tree during a lightning storm...​

 

[Lacedaemonian]

Not without a condom. STD's are`so prevalent these days.

 

[Space Cowboy]

Hmmm.... I think the term "good" is one of those wishy-washy, grey adjectives. There are stories that are fun to read but trashy, adn there are stories which are recognized as great literature but I find boring.


In terms of stories I enjoy, it's got to be fun and engaging. To me, most fundamental is the plot (an intriguing idea or situation goes a long way for me), then characters, pacing and the rest.

 

[Lucifer]

"Good" is subjective, as anyone who has read my Terry Goodkind/Robert Jordan/Anne Rice rants.

The most important aspect of any story for me is character. If the character is fascinating and real, if I can believe in that character as a person, then I will tolerate the dullest of plots. ("Maia" by Richard Adams comes to mind, as do huge sections of the "Kushiel" series.)

I want an author who will be true to his or her world. World-building requires at least some research, and I hate it when an auhor fudges something that could have been resolved by asking an expert a simple question. I want the world to be an integrated whole, not earth with magic tacked on.

Even a paint by numbers plot can be beautifully reworked if the author has excellent characters, an eye for detail, a fleshed-out world, and excellent writing ability. It's a diffecult package to put together, but so gratifying when you find it.

My personal favorites include Dan Simmons "Hyperion" series, George R. R. Martin's "Song of Ice and Fire, anything at all by Carol Berg (no one does characters as well as she does - I recommend the "Bridge to D'Arnath" series and the series beginning with "Transformation", and a writer whose name I can't recall. Her first book is called "Ghosts in the Snow" and it's a murder mystery, complete with forensics, taking place in a fantasy setting with some magical aspects. This book has one of the greatest first chapters I've ever read. It throws you headlong into the action and doesn't let up. She even manages to make info dumps painless.

I just read Lynn Flewellyn's "Luck in the Shadows" which was enjoyable and engaging, and Mercedes Lackey's "Magicians Pawn" which was interesting despite the worthless main character.

I also loved Storm Constantine's "Wraeththu" series, despite her cop out of referring to the hermaphrodite characters as "he."

Luce.

 

[ommigosh]

I think if the author can make the background believable and interesting, then sometimes it doesn't matter all that much if the plot is a bit thin or even if the characters are hard to like/identify with/care for. You can just immerse yourself in the imagined world which has been conjured up and get enjoyment from that alone.

Arthur C Clarke springs to mind as someone who (usually) wrote really believable science but whose characters tended to be a bit well...dull. But the ideas and the themes and the descriptions in his stories were often pretty powerful stuff.
(I used to like reading Thomas Hardy novels just to enjoy the quaint English country settings. Didn't care a hoot for the characters or plot).

I guess what I'm saying is if the fictional world seems convincing and is described well, then that's half the battle.

Om

 

[dwndrgn]

I agree (sort of) with teddyrux. I took the advice and rethought all my favorite books (actually just two - the ones I've read a million times each). The things I like most are this:

The characters are such that I want to hang out with them, sit down and chat, weed a garden with. They also seem to have some traits in common with me (so I can relate to their point of view) and they have traits that I don't have that I admire (like strength, courage, talent and will).

addition to this, the story is so seamless that it isn't until after you put it down that you've realized that three chapters have gone by and your cup of tea is ice cold and it is way past your bedtime. ;D

Since this topic's been reopened, I wanted to add that I also like stories that include honor, honesty, doing the right thing...yada yada yada...magic, wonderful beasts like dragons, fun stuff like that, that you don't see every day

 

[erickad71]

addition to this, the story is so seamless that it isn't until after you put it down that you've realized that three chapters have gone by and your cup of tea is ice cold and it is way past your bedtime.

That's my idea of a great story!

 

[Quest]

A new idea always helps. Or a clever twist. Too many films try to impress people with special effects. Audiences nowdays are used to great effects. Many a SciFi film has failed because viewers found the story to be too ordinary or familiar. But do something different and the fans will remember the tale forever.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

For me, there has to be a sympathetic main character -- that, or an unusually fascinating unsympathetic character. Occasionally, I will keep reading in hopes of seeing an unpleasant main character get what is coming to him/her, but mostly, once I lose sympathy with the protagonist there doesn't seen to be much reason to keep on reading the story.

Mind you, a sympathetic character doesn't have to be without flaws or above making mistakes -- and I hate books where the main character and the author both spend pages and pages justifying every action and explaining what a victim that character is and how nothing is ever their fault.

 

[GOLLUM]

Personally for me the following are what attracts me to good fantasy stories/series not in any special order:

1. Well developed world building with plenty of back story.
2. Strong characterization with at least 1 principal character I can either directly relate to or whose motives I can sympathise with.
3. Only a few black and white characters BUT plenty of gray characters to make the story more believable.
4. Well developed and thought out magic systems.
5. A developed hierarchy or society that makes sense or appears feasible.
6. EPIC in terms of multiple story lines and sociopolitical agendas with a large cast of characters and lands, I’m a detail person.
7. Great writing in terms of the quality of the general prose, descriptions etc..
8. Intelligent and considered dialogue.
9. A spot of humour but not too much.
10. Lots of twists and turns where events are not signposted.
11. Killing off some main characters to add real credibility to the story.
12. An original storyline, not that everything is pretty much a reinvention of past themes.
13. Fast paced storyline with lots of action and intrigue. I particularly enjoy one on one combat, ships in storms, tavern scenes, assassins, hidden secrets lurking in ageing scrolls, major revelations etc....


All of I can think for now..

 

[pixie64]

Wow! I must have posted this a while back. It's been a while since I've been to this forum. Great to READ others opinions. Everyone has their own way of writing and yes, action, suspense & intrigue are key elements in building a story. But when it comes to romance--I suppose it's up to the reader on what they find romantic & erotic. I've had alot of visitors on my site but only ten people have ordered online from me & family & friends ordered from me directly. A woman who runs the Phoenix Flare is a BIG fan of my work and if you wish to visit her site go to: http://www.thephoenixflare.bravehost.comEnjoy the site.

 

[Stormflame]

What makes a good story to me...

Hmmm....Well, first it is the writers style. If I open a book and am not captured by the style on the first page, I tend to lose it. A deep plot is a must. By deep, I mean, this person must have done their homework. This comes along in most trilogy works. Since reading LOTR, no other work has completely caught me up the way it did. The Shannara works come in probably second.
Outline to a story....Well, the typical format is cool, with the end building up to a final occurence. One thing that kills a book for me, is where at the end, when it ends, it should end. I don't like reading a whole chapter after the final stage is over. Get on with the end, and leave me hanging in that "high."

 

[pixie64]

What catches my interest in a book is the story. If I feel the story is good and well worth reading--I'll vote it a thumbs up. Even if the book wasn't formatted right, as long as the story is good. I'm a self-published author and have written two book so far:
www.chandrasquest.net
I have recently read two books from other self-published authors and I highly recommend them:
https://www.instantpublisher.com/ip/display.asp?display=detail&num=IP13729-04&cover=IP13729-04.gif

https://www.instantpublisher.com/ip/display.asp?display=detail&num=IP12413-04&cover=IP12413-04.gif
Tales of Terror doesn't have much of a description but once you get into the book it's very interesting. Star City has humor, mystery & a good plot, that's one of the reasons I liked it. The way it was formatted was a little off but like I said I look for what's in the story. I don't really care about what the cover looks like so long as the story is good.

 

[Rahl Windsong]

What makes a story enjoyable for me is if I can feel emotion from it. Can I feel what the characters are feeling? Can I picture where they live? Do the words make me wish I had lived there or perhaps glad I did not? If yes is the answer to those questions I consider myself fortunate to have read the story and really writing is an art form. Any art should be able to allow you to feel at least some of the emotion the creator felt in the creation process.

Rahl

 

[pixie64]

Dido!