The Novelry on Writing How to Write a Page-Turning Story
Oct 22, 2024
Join Melanie Conklin, an award-winning author of middle-grade fiction, and Heather Webb, a USA Today bestselling author of historical fiction, as they share five practical tips for crafting gripping stories. They discuss the importance of character yearning and high stakes, revealing how secrets and vulnerabilities can hook readers. Learn how to layer troubles for depth and create mysteries that keep the audience guessing. With their insights, you'll be well on your way to writing those page-turners that keep readers up at night!
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Start With A Burning Want
- Establish a clear, immediate want for your protagonist on page one to create yearning that drives the plot.
- Tie that want to the character's deeper emotional wound to deepen reader investment.
Raise Stakes To Match Change
- Raise stakes so the character's change feels authentic by threatening something equivalent to a life.
- Use literal or metaphorical deaths (e.g., social death) to make consequences feel enormous.
Layer Varied Stakes Across Characters
- Layer different types of stakes across multiple characters to diversify tension and keep readers engaged.
- Combine social peril and physical danger within the same story for varied urgency.