[kassimir funk]

As of right now I am an aspiring author. I'm about 150 pgs into the thing. I want to concentrate on certain elements in the writing. After reading the 100+ posts on why the WoT series does or doesn't stink. I feel compelled to ask what people think are the integral components of a good story.

When I say "important" what I am referring to is the story's likeablity, so to speak, not necessarily it's monetary earning potential.

I've been reading fantasy for almost twenty years, though I'll admit, I haven't done it religiously. In all that time I have realized that fully 50% of the books out there are utter crap. I don't want to get into details just yet but I think you know what I mean. They're just crap, for whatever reasons.

For me to find a story truly captivating it has to have certain crucial elements. The writing has to create some sort of empathy, within the reader's mind, relating to the main character(s). The reader should know the character's motivations and hopefully understand them. That is... a character's actions should seem plausable if not reasonable. Nothing annoys me more than characters making senseless decisions that serve only to move the plot along. On the other hand, characters can become so predictable that they become boring, annoying even. I would say that that is the case with some of Jordan's work.

(I'm starting to ramble...sorry I'll try to wrap it up)

Another important characteristic is the story's plot integrity. How interesting is it? Why are these events and these people worth reading? I know it seems like a simple thing. But really, how much text is actually written into a story that is, essentially, useless. Think of some of the longer series.

I could probably list ten more things but I'll leave it at that for now.

[Lawson]

I really need to like your character within the first ten pages, or I start to wonder if I really want to read it or not. By like I don't mean 'omfg I wish this character was my best friend.' I mean, I have to be interested in your characters.

[kaseryn]

Its simplistic i guess to pick just one.. but i suppose more crucial than most for me is that it be authentic. That characters, plot.. setting etc are believable.

[Qin]

It needs to be so absolutely difficult to understand that no fan of Jordan, Martin, Eddings, Goodkind, Brooks, Salvatore, or any other fat fantasy slut fan would ever go near it in fear of having to actually use their mind.

[Rob B]

Alright Qin, you go complaining in other places how these discussions degenerate into Eddings/Jordan/Goodkind etc flamings, and you start the flaming! http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif J/K

There are too many important things in a good story to narrow it down to just one thing.

However, plausability is very important. Sure this is fantasy we are reading, and we have to suspend our disbelief, but things and the way people interact within the context of the story should be believable.

[Qin]

A little poking and prodding never hurt anyone, right? http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/wink.gif

[kassimir funk]

"It needs to be so absolutely difficult to understand that no fan of Jordan, Martin, Eddings, Goodkind, Brooks, Salvatore, or any other fat fantasy slut fan would ever go near it in fear of having to actually use their mind. "

Man wouldn't that be great. Imagine if Faulkner rewrote the Simarillion. That would be interesting.

As far as the other writer's are concerned, I don't mind going off on tangents. Let's take Jordan's technique of introducing new plot strains into the story. New characters that may(or may not) play an important role in the grand scheme of things. I like the idea to an extent. Though I think Jordan has overdone it a bit. In my story I am experimenting with the idea of bringing in characters for plot twists while making sure that I wrap most of them up by the end of the book. Let them play their role and then get rid of them.

But that's just my opinion.

[Crysania]

Characters.

Period.

And either you can do them or you can't.

[Qin]

Funk: I was being facetious. Yeesh, kids these days http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/wink.gif

[kassimir funk]

I understand that you were being facetious. But I think the comment is far more amusing as a semi-serious propostion. Thanks for the kid comment though.... makes me feel better. That and finally getting a friggin college degree.