I know we've been all been listing things about stories that make them bad. But instead of focussing on the negative stuff, maybe for a chance we can focus on the good stuff.

What exactly makes a story good in your eyes?

For me it is:

- characterization
- character development during the story

And some more, but I have to think about that some more.

What I like in a good story, is a peaceful beginning, and action packed ending, and an emotionally satisfying ending :D Kinda like Lord of the Rings. It's happy, then hell breaks lose, and it all ends with a climactic bang! Other than that. I like stories with a wide variety of charcters

Hmm. For me, probably the best thing is well-developed, (emotionally) realistic characters. I love a character-driven story. Other than that, umm...there's more but my brain's a bit dead at the moment. Might add something else later. xD

A writer that can reserch what they're writing about and has enough imagination to put a twist to even a simple idea. I'm not talking OTT twist, but having non vanilla characters, and characters with faults. It's so important for a writer to exploit that, and it can be difficutl with a powerful character, or a Sue type.

I've faught over the years to make my guardian family in my story not so OTT that they become un stopable. In the end, their human aspects I've found make them either stronger or weaker. One character that can destroy an army with a single blow, may be stopped cause they feel the leader can become good, but that same character can snap like a twig if that person they can save not only proves that they can't be, but enfuriates them. That kind of emotion in a character makes you sit in the person's shoes and feel their passion.

Also a writer that can pace a story with more or less words. And know how to complex or simplify a character depending on thier upbringing. A street rat shouldn't talk like an arisotcrate unless they had good schooling. In the same breath, and nobel should never talk street even when they're on the street.

May I say, I am SO happy to see the positive side of this come out. I'm sick of focusing on the negative T.T

You know a story is good when it has an effect on your emotions and thinking. I like an original plot/stroy line. Also a steady development helps, rushing things just takes out the effect and credibility of the story. I also love characters that are well thought out and that have well character to them. xD

For me, it's almost entirely about the characters.  Heros need flaws and weaknesses otherwise they can't grow.  Minor characters shouldn't be overly developed.  Antagonists need to be creepy/evil enough to make my skin crawl or sympathetic enough that in my heart I want them be redeemed, even if that's not possible.  A lame or cardboard cut out villain can completely kill a story for me.

But it's also important for the story to be written in a style that's easy to read--not overly flowery or descriptive.  The author really has to be able to make use of literary devices like foreshadowing and know how to build tension and then resolve it.  That's what gets me emotionally involved in a story besides just 'cool characters.  And some of those things are very subjective.  I love Tolkien but I know people who loathe his style as well. 

You know it's a good book when you just can't seem to put the book down even for a second and when you fell genuine sorrow for a character if they die or get hurt :yes:

You know a story is good when you 'talk to the book'

This is me my room alone with my book:  "He's gonna do it!?'  "Stupid, don't talk to her she's got the poison" "Oh, hurry up and save them!"

That's happened to me a couple times.

You know it's a good story when.. 

...you chuck the book across the room out of the sheer creepiness of the story (yeah, it was 1am.. :annoyed: )

Still, no other author had ever made me feel physically ill before I read Stephen King's Dreamcatcher.

s*** weasel!!

On Sep 14, 2007 7:00 am, Sliverbane said:
[quote]

You know a story is good when you 'talk to the book'

This is me my room alone with my book:  "He's gonna do it!?'  "Stupid, don't talk to her she's got the poison" "Oh, hurry up and save them!"

That's happened to me a couple times.

[/quote]

-shiftyeyes- No, I've never heard of that happening...xD Lol, I'm terrible for doing that.

You know a story's good when you're reading, and suddenly it's midnight and you're thinking, 'Shoot, I need to get up at 5:30.' :p

Yeah, like pretty much everyone else said...the pacing and character development is what really draws me through. In a lot of ways 'good' or 'bad' writing is pretty subjective, once you get past the basic 'rules' to writing...depends on what someone really focuses on when they're reading, and what makes it, ahm, I don't know -- "effortless" for them to read? Don't know if that makes sense.