What Makes a Page Turner?
Here's a huge secret about writing.
Are you ready?
Writing needs to be interesting to the reader.
And yes some things that are obvious still need to be said.
In fact I'll say it again.
Writing needs to be interesting.
Of course not everyone is interested in everything. I personally am not likely to pick up a book about the Russian Royal family prior to 1917.
But there are people who will.
Others may read a book about souffles.
However, there is a big caveat. They will only keep reading if the writing is engaging.
Or in the case of the souffle book, if guests are arriving and they have been promised a souffle.
I love rock music biographies.
I have begun to read several but only finished a few. Why? Because the writer had nothing that grabbed me and brought me in. It was same old, same old and we've all had enough of that in our lives.
But the ones that pulled me in and kept me there had a few things going for them.
Now in case you are curious the autobiographies of Marianne Faithful, Keith Richards, and Brian Wilson I loved and I would read them again.
Why, because they were just so fascinating. Great stories of wonderful characters, humour, drama, irreverence. All the things you would expect from a music icon.
There are writer's who have studied the craft for years, who have impeccable use of words, and perfect syntax. But their books are a snore.
Many other authors who have never studied writing have penned enthralling work by following a few simple guidelines.
Write something people will care about.
Pack it with interesting characters.
Embellish if you need to. Sometimes the soup needs just a bit more spice than the recipe calls for.
Don't get tangled in a web of rhetoric.
Read it over and see if it grabs you.
If it bores you, then you haven't much hope of alluring readers who likely don't have the same passion you have for the subject.
If it's a story, use lots of interesting dialogue.
If it's non fiction, pepper it with captivating anecdotes.
Stay sharp and to the point.
Long winded passages and descriptions may stoke your ego as a writer, but they will likely turn people off.
You may not be the most experienced spinner of words. Perhaps you never even took one writer's course.
But if you really have something to say, and you say it in a way that makes people care and keep turning the pages, then you will have a winner.
This may not be the kind of academic advice you might be used to so here's one more tip.
Read. See what makes a page turner, or a book closer.
Think of the books you loved. Why was that?
Put that into your own writing.
You know what makes a great read.
So whatever you write, remember that and use the examples you have on your bookshelf right now.
