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What Makes A Book Worth Reading?

By on June 7, 2017
What Makes A Book Worth Reading?- Writer's Life.org

As writers, we all know how important it is to read as much as possible. We also know that it's crucial to make our own work as readable as possible.

Regardless of what type of book you are writing, the genre, the target audience etc, there are some particular things that people look for and agree that all good books should have. Knowing these will not only make your next book purchase easier but also help writers to carefully consider how they craft their stories in order to make them more appealing.

So what are the elements that make a book worth reading? Let’s take a look:

It contains lesson

Many readers search for a book that contains some sort of lesson or at least teaches them something they didn’t already know or makes them view the world in a different light. These are the kind of books that really change people, inspire them and motivate them - these are the kinds of books that stick in people’s minds.

It engages readers emotionally

Readers must be emotionally committed to the book they are reading, they need to care about the characters, they need to want to know what happens to them and react accordingly. If readers can’t engage then there is no motivation for them to pick up the book, keep on reading and find out what happens next.

It takes readers on a journey

Every good book is a journey, with obstacles, adventures, victories and defeats along the way. The more thrilling the journey, the better the book will be.

It is well written

No matter how exciting your plot, if the writing is bad, readers ain't gonna like it. Readers can tell from the blurb on the back, or at the very least the first few pages whether the writing is poor. If they judge that it is, they won’t read any further - it’s as simple as that.

A captivating story

A good book will pique readers interests straight away, they will immediately feel immersed in the world, will want to get to know the characters better and become more enthralled as they see how the story and characters develop along the way.

It gives the readers what they need

Often readers pick a book because they need something particular at that time. They may be heartbroken and need a romance story to make them believe in love again, or a funny book to cheer them up and put things in perspective - if a book can help reassure, make sense of things or sympathise it will feel like a good friend, a companion and that’s what makes a good book truly great.

There are, of course, a huge list of reasons why a reader might choose a book. What do you think makes a book good, and do you consider this when writing your own? Let us know!

Bethany Cadman -author of 'Doctor Vanilla's Sunflowers'

Bethany Cadman -author of 'Doctor Vanilla's Sunflowers'

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