Rand

These are 21 things I look for in stories. Not really needs, more qualities I prefer. Since I’m the reader, I figure I have a say in the matter.
If you are currently writing a story, reading a story, or in a story, why don’t you run down this list now, and see which features apply?

Anyhow, you can mark me up as a flippant, not-deep-enough-to-understand-quantum-theorems reader, but I’m fairly certain I make up 99% of the reading population.

So, what are 21 things I want in a story?

1.) Is it written in words I can understand? Stop that science-fiction jargon in the first sentence. It’s turning me off badly.

2.) Is it competitively well-designed? I’m not sifting for words in a cement-block of text.

3.) Is it open to interpretation? I want a story I can think about three days later, when I actually have the time.

4.) Does something happen? Any event, anywhere. It doesn’t have to be phenomenal. A boy is bit by a bug.

5.) Is it signed? By an author? I don’t mind rainbowsunshinebutterfly67’s short story, but I don’t even want to touch “signed… anonymous”. At least own what you write.

6.) Is it descriptive? Pretty, ugly, in-between landscapes… I’d like to know where this book is taking me.

7.) Is it not descriptive? I’m not reading more than three paragraphs of description. I probably wouldn’t read more than two.

8.) Can it be held in my hands? I love books I can touch. Really.

9.) Is it not trying to impress me, but instead takes its time?

10.) Is it actively engaging? There doesn’t need to be a scandal every page… just every other page.

11.) Does it have a cast of less than twenty characters? I don’t want to start keeping charts with character names. And while we are discussing characters-

12.) Are the names easy to pronounce? Don’t twist my tongue. I have something against scary names. Get them away from me.

13.) Are the characters original? I’m sick of Mary Sue. I saw her in everyone I met today. Enough already.

14.) Still- are these characters people I have met? Maybe even, myself? I want badly to identify with your precious characters.

15.) Has it been edited ten times through, but looks effortless? Fire your editor- do it yourself.

16.) Does it have dialogue? Even if the book is about rabbits?

17.) Is it opinionated?

18.) And is it aggressively telling the opinions to me?

19.) Is it teaching me? Will I walk away trying to pronounce the foreign names or will I be contemplating the universe?

20.) Does it respect me? And love its awful readers, for all that we are?

21.) Can I read it again? Every day for the next five years?

There’s my twenty-oners. Can you find a twenty-second want?
Tell me.

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