How to Make a Reader Care
About Your Book
By Mary Kole
Mary Kole is a former literary agent, freelance editor, writing teacher, author of Writing Irresistible Kidlit, and IP developer for major publishers, with over a decade in the publishing industry.
Are you an aspiring writer struggling to grab the attention of your target audience? Do you often find yourself wondering how to make a reader care about your characters, plot, and theme? Well, you're in the right place because I will be sharing some tips and tricks that will help you hook your readers and keep them engrossed in your story from start to finish. If you want to make a reader care, you’ve come to the right place.
Why Is It Important to Make a Reader Care About Your Story?
First and foremost, if you want to get traditionally published or succeed in the self-publishing world, you need to make a reader care about your story. You wrote your draft because you were invested in your story. Well, now you need your target audience to enjoy it, too, or else you’ll be a tree falling in the forest with no one to hear it. If a reader can't connect with your characters or fails to become invested in the plot, they are not likely to recommend your book to others or leave positive reviews (if your work even gets attention from a publishing gatekeeper in the first place). In other words, you need to create an emotional connection between your readers and your story. When a reader cares about your story, they become invested in it, turning it into a page-turner that they won't be able to put down.
Tips to Make a Reader Care About Your Story
Develop Well-rounded Characters
Your characters should be relatable, multi-dimensional, and have character objectives, as well as flaws. This will humanize them and make a reader care and connect with them on a deeper level.
Show, Don’t Tell
Rather than telling your readers how a character feels or behaves, for example, by naming emotions, show how the character really feels through their actions and dialogue, as well as the tool of interiority. This allows your readers to develop their own emotional connection with the characters.
create a compelling plot
Your story's plot needs to be engaging and make your readers feel a sense of urgency or suspense. The stakes should be high, and there should be a clear conflict that keeps the readers on the edge of their seats. There should be conflict and tension or suspense present in every scene, with something hanging in the balance, even in stories outside of the mystery or thriller genre. This will make a reader care about the plot.
use emotions
Incorporating emotional triggers (such as fear, love, or loss) into your story can create a powerful connection with the reader, making them care about how the story unfolds. This is also sometimes called the stakes of the story—why do the events matter? If the readers understand this, they will be invested in how things play out over the course of your plot.
What You Get When You Make a Reader Care
When a reader cares about your story, they are more likely to recommend it to others, leave positive reviews, and become loyal fans of your work. This word-of-mouth book marketing can open doors for your writing career and lead to more opportunities for book deals, speaking engagements at writer’s conferences, and even more income. Moreover, taking the time to make your readers care about your story is a sign of respect towards your target audience. Readers will appreciate the effort you put into creating a story that is worth their time and investment.
Whether you are an aspiring writer or already an established author, if you make a reader care about your characters, plot, and story, you can find success in the publishing industry. By following the tips outlined in this article and creating an emotional connection with your reader, you will be well on your way to creating a bestselling book that readers will cherish and recommend to others. Remember, a passionate and invested reader is the key to a writer's success, and you can earn this when you make a reader care.
Click here to purchase Writing Irresistible Kidlit, my book on fiction craft for MG and YA novels, out from Writer's Digest Books. This will show you my writing craft philosophy and give you lots of valuable advice, including tips for the novel revision process and self-editing. There are over 35 example novels cited and discussed throughout. It’s a valuable resource for any writer’s toolkit.
Click here to purchase Successful Query Letters, my book on query letters, including over forty examples with comprehensive notes on each one. There’s a ton of submission advice, best practices, and insider information in these pages, and you’ll really enjoy seeing what other writers are doing in the slush.