Into the Fire

Loose ends. When a complex story is written, there is always a margin for error in leaving a matter unresolved by failing to address it after inserting it into the storyline. It might just be a small thing, but to some astute (aka OCD) reader(s) it will need to be mentioned somewhere again with a "taken care of" sticker attached to it. Do Not Leave A Reader Hanging. 

A character can change through the course of a story. If it's a radical change, there must be a plausible reason for it. Those life-changing events to accomplish this must be organic and at least somewhat logical because if a character does a "180" for a minimal or insignificant occurrence, it will not work for most readers seeking a real experience from their fiction.

If locations used are fictional, they must resemble the general area where they're situated unless of course the genre is sci-fi or fantasy. Most readers want to familiarize themselves with the places they're reading about so when using real locations, there should be identifiable scenery and landmarks or shops and restaurants. Inaccuracy regarding actual locations is a deterrent to reader satisfaction unless stipulated in the foreword as to the reason for the inaccuracies.

Dialogue is critical to a good story. Without it, reading it can feel awkward. Stilted, formal (when out of place), contraction-less, too mature for the speaker, too smart or dumb for the speaker, and any number of other stumbling ways to forfeit good dialogue can lead to a book being discarded before its completion. Readers want it real in whatever era or circumstance where the novel takes place. 

Without these, we readers can be . . . not so forgiving. 

Father, thank you for authors doing their best to write their best in each story. Help us all to do it well in our efforts to honor you with what you've given us to do. Apart from you, we can do nothing. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.