Writing for Effect

      As writers we obviously write for effect. We want readers to feel certain things, to become attached to our story, characters, and style. As we write we wonder how to create such magic. How do we get our audience to keep the pages turning. We've all heard the phrase "the book is a real page turner." But what does that actually mean? What components make a book a page turner? Here's some ideas to play with.

    1. Suspense. Creating suspense is one of the best ways to keep your reader engaged. I was watching Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (the first one) and as I watched Charlie all bummed out because he never got the gold ticket I kept thinking, the writer of this script really made Charlie go through a heap of emotional turmoil before he got his ticket. By making your character experience emotional heaps you can keep your reader engaged. But you have to be careful to maintain balance. Not every page has to be a mountain of tension.

     2. Shock factor. Today the shock factor seems to be a trending element, in books, television and movies. By shocking your readers you can create the need for more. I recently became attached to American Horror Story: Coven. It was the shock factor that kept me watching, and the same with Sons of Anarchy. The shock factor of 50 Shades of Grey kept women all over the world turning pages like Johnny 5 from Short Circuit. George R. R. Martin shocked his readers by killing off main characters. But just like suspense there's a need for balance. I think with balance you can play with your readers emotions just as well with any other 'pager turner' component.

     3. Foreshadowing. We use foreshadowing to tell of something coming, to excite the reader of what may be. This can be a fun tool, but you don't want to give away too much. Foreshadowing can also be used to connect plot points, especially in thriller novels when you create a twist later in the plot.

     4. Keeping it real. Whether you are writing science fiction, fantasy, romance, or literary fiction you have to keep it real. You can create an alien nation on a distant planet, but make sure all of your creative genius adds up.

     5. Great characters. Creating deep characters with authentic personality isn't always the easiest task. You have them in your head and they are great: the hero, the heroin, and secondary characters. The look good, they sound good. You feel like all their dynamics are ready to explode on paper, but as you get through a few chapters your explosive personalities fall flat. This happened to me recently with a character I created for a ghostwriting job I had. After researching his personality type and making lists of characteristics and traits (some I might not even use in the plot, but gave me a better idea who this guy was) I was able to beef up his character.

      I know there must be more ways to initiate attachment with your readers, but these are the first 5 that come to mind. Of course there's the showing instead of telling, but I maintain my notion that balance of all of these components keeps the reader engaged and reading. I would love to hear from others who have more ideas on writing for effect.