Into the Fire

Five most important features of fiction:

Characters. If I can't relate, don't understand, don't like, admire, respect, or find anything engaging in them, the chance of me liking the novel are slim.

Plot. It doesn't have to be complex or trouble/conflict-laden as most traditional publishers insist, but it does have to matter and give purpose to the writing. Emotion plays an important role in creating a meaningful plot yet it doesn't have to be overdone.

Emotion. The emotional part of the story must vary and serve the characters. Each of them must be true to their created personalities and goals throughout the story. Without significant emotion a story will be flat and unimaginative.

Dialogue. There's no substitute for good dialogue. It's got to be real, fit the characters, clever when necessary, and poignant. Slang, even clichés, can be incorporated according to the set up of certain characters. Sound dialogue is critical to any good story.

Scenery, location, environment. Whether or not I've been wherever the story takes place, as a reader, I want to feel like I'm there. As a writer, I want to portray the place to invite the reader into the midst of it, taking them on the journey with the characters.

These are the critical five that come to mind – not stipulating to genre. 

Father, thank you for making it feel real when I'm writing the stories you've given me. Thank you for each one. Apart from you, I can do nothing. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.