| There are seven fundamental reasons that some | | | | back in and give him or her some good qualities as |
| books succeed and others collect dust on the | | | | well. |
| author's bookshelf. These seven keys to success as | | | | People are not good or evil. Your characters should |
| an author are simple, obvious even, and yet in the | | | | have the same character traits, as the rest of |
| midst of our writing many of us forget them. We | | | | humanity. |
| get so focused on the idea of the book that we | | | | Ex. A Thief with a Conscience or who hates |
| forget the mechanics. Here is the strategy that | | | | everyone except his little sister, who he has taken |
| award winning authors use: | | | | care of since their mom died. |
| 1) Create a hero that your audience can relate to. | | | | Give all your characters depth. |
| Examine your target market honestly. Who will be | | | | 5) Provide obstacles for your main characters. Both |
| reading your book? Just because you think that your | | | | your hero and antagonist need to have a few bumps |
| main character is funny, charming and brilliant doesn't | | | | in the road. Life isn't smooth. Let them both screw |
| mean that they will or even that that is what they | | | | up and figure their way out of their messes. |
| care about. | | | | 6) Your hero, at the very least, must learn a lesson |
| 2) Write for your audience, not your highschool | | | | about himself or herself. Is he braver than he thought |
| English professor. There has already been a | | | | he was? Is her nerdiness actually an asset? |
| Shakespeare. Most genres do not require you to | | | | Your characters should have some type of |
| write like him. You will just turn your audience off if | | | | self-realization. It can be subtle. You do not have to |
| you write at a level beyond their comprehension. | | | | go into a five chapter monologue on it, just give the |
| 3) Give your reader a problem that he or she can | | | | readers some clues that he or she has changed. |
| empathize with. | | | | 7) Begin and end your story with a bang. Grab your |
| Ex. Are you writing for teenage girls? Then | | | | reader's attention in the beginning and have them |
| something to do with the pains of adolescent | | | | hoping for a sequel in the end. The rest, no matter |
| romance, or lack thereof, might be a good start. | | | | how much work you put into it, will probably be |
| 4) Provide a nemesis that makes sense. The | | | | skimmed until they hit the next seat gripping scene. |
| antagonist in your story should appear to be | | | | Your job is to make that skim time as short as |
| everything that your main character is not. Then go | | | | possible. |