Hello friends,

This topic, what readers want, runs through my mind whenever I sit down to write. After all, I’m inventing stories so people can take a mental vacation. I know they want something original, thought- provoking, and entertaining. I try to tick those boxes because those things are important to me, too.

Why do stories miss the mark? I based 10 theories on my experience, and after I had read hundreds of random book reviews from both satisfied and unhappy customers. Buyers leave feedback whenever they love or hate a story. Here are 10 reasons they don’t like the stories. These are not in any particular order.

1. THE BOOK WAS HARD TO READ

People complain about long sentences. Too many ideas or descriptions will make the average reader abandon the book. Long gone are the days when an author can take a page to describe a chair. Thank goodness. I used to forget what the heck they were writing about.

This advice also goes for cluttered sentences with unnecessary words. If I can remove the word and the meaning doesn’t change, I hit delete.

To keep a reader’s attention, we must vary the sentence length and structure or the paragraph will seem monotone. The noun-verb construction is usually the culprit.

2. NAMES CONFUSED THE READER

Mark, Martin, and Matt run amok. Mary, Marsha, Martha, and Maya won’t shut up. Who’s who?

Maybe the author introduced too many characters. If a reader has to backtrack, then he had to stop reading.

3. A CHARACTER HAS A POTTY-MOUTH

I avoid excessive swearing in my novels because I think of other ways to show anger or displeasure than to use naughty four-letter words. The tone of the dialogue does the trick for me. I’ve heard readers say they don’t like cuss words. Why would I want to alienate them?

4. NO WHITE SPACE ON THE PAGES

Some people will not buy the book. This ties into #1 above. White space = breathing room.

5. NOTHING IMPORTANT HAPPENS

Give chapters a purpose and drive the plot forward. Each scene must build on the next. If it doesn’t, remove that section.

6. THE MAIN CHARACTER HAS NO AGENCY

Characters must earn their goal. They must make decisions, or take action to get what they want. They can’t sit around and let another character save them. That’s what readers want.

7. THE VILLAIN HAS NO REASON FOR BEING EVIL

I like to write about villains that have emotional wounds. Kudos to the writers who can make me sympathize with the antagonist. My husband’s favorite? Hannibal Lecter. Why? Lector hates rude people, but he had a crush on Clarice Starling because she wasn’t impolite. He helped her catch a killer. I kind of agree with my husband, only I’m not sure if it’s because I like Anthony Hopkins, the actor.

8. THE FIVE SENSES ARE MISSING

Readers want to get lost in stories and experience the sights, smells, tastes, feel, and sounds the characters enjoy or detest. I try to remember this when writing, but sometimes add more in my later drafts. These details matter.

9. IT’S A STORY WITHOUT PERSONAL STAKES

A bounty hunter chasing a criminal might be interesting. But what if he’s a serial killer, and he kidnaps her three-year-old son? That’s a story I want to read.

10. READERS CAN’T RELATE TO THE MAIN CHARACTER

People keep reading when they connect with the main character. They don’t have to like the protagonist. But they must have something in common with her. If a writer is skilled enough to evoke emotion, the reader is likely feeling what the character is feeling.

My list could go on for pages, but I like to keep these blogs short. What do you want from a story? Leave a comment below. Tell me what makes you stop reading? What keeps you flipping the pages?

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Give Readers What They Want