How to Write a Novel

Chapter Fourteen - The 7 Elements of Great Storytelling

What are the elements that make a story great? Recently, I sat down and decided to write the core elements that I feel make a story great, and I came up with seven.

1. Writing

Writing a great story naturally involves great writing. This is why I put this as the very first element. If you're thinking about having a career in writing, your writing must be good – a base level of proficiency should consist of:

• Fluidity

• Clarity

• Purpose

• Proper spelling and grammar

• Expansive vocabulary 

• Appropriate word choice 

• Logical coherence

The good news is that almost anyone can reach this level with practice, which is actually encouraging. Unlike other disciplines such as singing or playing in the NBA, writing well has less to do with natural talent or physical attributes, it's just a matter of putting in the effort. Stephen King wrote in his book 'On Writing', "the first million words are practice," and I believe this to be more or less true. If you put in the work and show up every day, your writing will eventually improve.

2. Originality

Your idea or story has to be somewhat original and interesting. I say 'somewhat original' because it's very difficult to come up with a completely original and interesting idea. Most great storytellers borrow ideas from others. It's okay to be inspired by others and borrow ideas – I borrow ideas all the time, but I make reference of them to give credit where it's due. In my Prodigy book, I use themes from Plato's Republic, but I make sure to reference them to let the reader know that I'm not trying to steal Plato's ideas and pass them off as my own. Instead, I'm paying homage to something that inspired me.

To improve originality, it's important to be well-rounded in terms of your interests and your scope of knowledge. So try to be very broad with your understanding of things, especially areas where you have relatively no knowledge, whether it's science, religion, cultures, economics, history, geography... It's also helpful to be:

• World travelled

• Read books

• Hang out with different types of people

• Listen to podcasts

• Watch documentaries

• Challenge your opinions and assumptions – be critical and objective about your thoughts 

• Be observant about the world

• Develop a new hobby such as archery, yoga, ballet, rock climbing...

Over time, you will uncover things, learn new truths, and develop original thinking in areas where you would otherwise not have gone down if you just stayed in this narrow lane of topics that interest you.

3. Characters

Your characters have to be well-defined and relatable. Part of having well-defined characters means they should each have their own distinct voice and unique set of characteristics that separate them from other characters in your story. Here are some things to consider:

Your characters shouldn't all sound alike Each character should have their own point of view Your reader should be able to tell who's talking without you telling them Your characters should generally behave in a consistent manner