what makes someone a good writer?

Question

in your opinion...what seperates one book from all the others (when dealing w/ fiction/fantasy)...take harry potter, example...what makes it so compelling to you??? or any book you love for that matter...

thanks!

Answer 1

The details and flow. Take Harry Potter and J.K. Rowlings for example. Before she wrote the first book, she knew how the 7th one was going to end, and what information she was going to impart in each book. So the books don't seem jumpy, they flow.
They are certain givens in each book. Harry will be at the Dursley's in the beginning of the book for example, so mile markers are left for the reader to note.

Details, when J.K. wrote the first book, long before a movie deal, she knew exactly where everything on Hogwarts were, the whomping willow, the room of requirement, etc, so when it came time to add these into the story, she wasn't putting the willow on Hagrid's Hut or the room, was where Ravenclaw's dorm was.

Characters not Mary Sues- J.K. have a chart of all students in Harry's year with their parentage and back-story. We will never here for example the back-story on Dean Thomas or Theodore Nott in a book, but she has it. When we see these secondary characters, they act like themselves.

Another example of details is the Black Family tree, before she wrote about it in the book OOTP; she had it all drawn out.

Base it enough in the real world to make it believable. Dragons, Hippogriffs, centaurs, werewolves are all based on our mythology. It makes it acceptable and provides a foundation for the reader.

Descriptive writing that doesn't stall the action. J.K. has a flair for this. I think this is because she has already worked out the details before she writes it.

Compelling story- you can do everything else just right, but if you don't have a good story it just falls flat.

Answer 2

I don't like Harry Potter, no not at all, because the book is LARGE. But I like the movies. What makes it so compelling is because theres ACTION, ADVENTURE, and MYSTERY. I think that a book can be different from others when it has adventure. I think every book is interesting in it's own way, own genre. But it matters on the summary, and the cover of the book. If its just green all over and a fish, doesn't seem so compelling to you, know what I mean right? Like Dragon Rider for example, I never liked those books because they were big, and I didn't like big books. But I tried to read it, so I did, and it seemed to me that the first pages were mysterious, so I wanted to figure it out. I think no matter what, what ever genre, you should have some mystery and action in it. Even in fantasies, mystery makes people WANT to read it, action and adventure makes the story more exciting, other than other dull stories, like __ I'm not going to say....

Answer 3

What makes someone a good writer is a person who doesn't follow fads or trends in the publishing industry. Someone who knows what goes into a book, and what doesn't--based on years of personal experience--and sticks with a formula that works for them.

This is what will seperate their books from the mainstream. You don't need hype or a big name author to write a good novel.

Nor do you need to hinge yourself onto others' success either just so you can get published that way.

(And no, I don't read HP. But I've read a lot of other books that I grew up on as a child, and this is what I wanted to write as a teenaged writer then. But I soon discovered that writing solo was more enjoyable than copying someone else's writing style and voice.)

Answer 4

ur mental condition while reading, not the one u get but the one u'r experencing in the moment u decide to read.. if u r in a period of happiness and with no mental trouble u'll enjoy ur harrypotter.. if u'r sad and u've understood how it really works, the story of a little wizard will seem quite childish.. then behind the idea that we choose everything because of a mental uncontiouse frame we can conclude that the preference we show is something absolutely detached from the writer's capability..
however, it is clear that if u'r are a good writer able to represent the scene like on a cinema screen the reading will get very flowing and the interest will grow spontaneously!
sorry 4 the language.. from italy

Answer 5

Whether or not the writer makes the characters come to life. If you care about the characters, like them, or identify with them, the story will be entertaining and worth reading. I have too many favorite books - right now I'm reading Marley & Me by John Grogan. It's hysterical to me because my dogs have done some of the same things that Grogan writes about (things Marley has done).

Answer 6

i find it best to write about things i know about. things i've lived etc. that makes for the most intense writing. someone who is a good writer can place themselves into the book and get so wrapped up in it, that they are who they're writing.

Answer 7

alot of imagination. lots. and a way to keep people reading...make them look forward to the next page. not too fake and not too real. wanna know my fav book? THE BEACH

Answer 8

the way they pull you ionto a story and not having to skip lines while your reading it.. someoone who could keep you reading in through the night