Six Magic Words for creating a Bestseller

Notes on Susan Elizabeth Phillips – Six Magic Words for creating a Bestseller.

Write the compelling book, not necessarily the most creative or artistic one. What makes a bestseller?
1. Plot is Riveting
2. You care deeply about the characters.
3. The author reveals an unfamiliar world (Narnia, etc.)
4. Captivating Author’s Voice

The 6 Magic words are: Keep The Reader In The Story

As long as you don’t pull them out, you have a winner. Try to master good craft. Create dazzling characters who are sympathetic, but not perfect. They should be realistic but larger than life. Well-motivated characters, but don’t manipulate their behavior to advance your plot. Move the plot by giving the characters strengths and weaknesses. Let them develop and grow throughout the story. Take the hero and follow his emotional thread throughout the story, then do the same for the heroine. Make them diametric opposites. If he’s a fireman, she should be an arsonist.