The Breakdown discussion

Let's start with a simple question! As an aspiring novelist I value the thoughts of each and every person, because what a lot of authors don't understand is that people "are" our books. They are the characters that we all love. They are the people that make your book famous. They are the critics. They decide what's in and what's out. People ARE out novels. :)

So, people, what makes a great book?


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I would say it'd be when the characters go ahead and go through a bunch of what-if situations. Situations many of us cannot even think about, and then they react to it in a way we have never seen.
I believe stories are pure teaching. So, if there's nothing new and exclusive to see in a story, it might not be that good.

Axel wrote: "I would say it'd be when the characters go ahead and go through a bunch of what-if situations. Situations many of us cannot even think about, and then they react to it in a way we have never seen.
..."
I agree one hundred percent! I have recently just put my characters through a situation in which a mother had to choose which of her children to save, a decision most can't fathom. I learned this technic by analyzing my favorite noves. I found the the things I liked best was the character's valiant ways...or perhaps their twisted thoughts.

"in which a mother had to choose which of her children to save, a decision most can't fathom. I learned this technic by analyzing my favorite noves. I found the the things I liked best was the character's valiant ways...or perhaps their twisted thoughts. ..."

That sounds interesting. It reminds of the film Good-Son (I think that was the name of it). The movie, I thought it was just ok, until the ending showed exactly that same situation.
Notice this: what was mind blowing was the fact that the mother actually let one of the children go because of her prefference (the kid was a wicked and diabolical child). The fact that the mother chose public-based justice over blinding love is what left an impact. She let him go with all the pain in the world, but heck, it was unexpected. You'd predict her grabbing the evil kid and send him to a freaking psychologist, but no. And that scene was actually what saved the movie from just being another typical film with a boring ending.

I guess another thing would be to make the characters psycos (to an extent), just as you mentioned "twisted thoughts". That's why anyone loves a character, because you won't find that character out in the street in your day-to-day life. Something out of the normal, but NEVER use any direct definitions, that makes a book look really amateur. The actions should describe a character good enough instead of straight descriptions.

Axel wrote: " "in which a mother had to choose which of her children to save, a decision most can't fathom. I learned this technic by analyzing my favorite noves. I found the the things I liked best was the cha..."

Agreed! I have seen the Good Son, actually. It was a terrible movie, but I too was intrigued by the ending. I also think that as authors, we need to take a good look at TRUE human emotions...the things we think about and then feel guilty for ever considering. Like when a child is crying and a distraught mother finds the slightest urge to shake it skim across her subconscious. We need to examine these in our writing to shock readers, and to present true emotions.

For example, the graphic novel memoir called Epileptic is one of the most honest portrails of human emotions I've ever read. There's even a time when he wishes his brother dead...though he loves him very much. It was this report of thought that really made the memoir and characters really seem...well real.

I feel like a good book needs to have all of the elements, as in humor, romance, drama, thrilling. Or a combination of either. It needs to pull me right away and make me want to keep turning the pages. I like books
with a good plot and clean morals and life lessons. A book should be able to teach you something new, or remind you of something you forgot.

(Wow! I'm on a roll, that was a suprisingly good post for being tired!)

Kylie wrote: "I feel like a good book needs to have all of the elements, as in humor, romance, drama, thrilling. Or a combination of either. It needs to pull me right away and make me want to keep turning the pa..."

I agree! And I think the lessons need to be learned just as unexpectedly as possible, because that's how it works in real life. And no one's life is JUST a tragedy or JUST a humor trip. You're are completely right, you need all of those things to create an unbelievable story that takes the reader on a whirl wind of emotions.

Kylie wrote: "I feel like a good book needs to have all of the elements, as in humor, romance, drama, thrilling. Or a combination of either. It needs to pull me right away and make me want to keep turning the pa..."

You are right about that. Audiences are always hungry and hard to satisfy to an extent, and books are highly demanding. It's not a film you can start with a suspenseful piece of music. Just like you said, there must be a combination of all the feelings possible... And HECK maybe one should make the reader feel things he/she have never felt before.

Axel wrote: "Kylie wrote: "I feel like a good book needs to have all of the elements, as in humor, romance, drama, thrilling. Or a combination of either. It needs to pull me right away and make me want to keep ..."

Yes! And I think crazy unbelievable decisions are the best way to do that :)

Put simply, I think that originality is what makes a good book. That in itself is a really abstract concept, but generally speaking, people like reading things they have never read before. The goal of novel-writing is to create a new experience for the reader. Whether this is done though original concept or through pure skill/style, it's often what makes something memorable.