What makes the difference between a book, a good book, and a great book? If the basic writing skills are honed and the plot gets you from start to finish, why isn’t every book great? I think the answer will be different for each reader, depending on what you enjoy most about reading. For me, two key things that will make a book rise above the norm are beautiful writing and compelling themes.
While the ability to write gorgeous prose may come naturally to a few writers, I think for most of us it’s a skill that’s learned over time. I have no advice for you here, except what I apply to myself: become a student of the craft. Read books by a wide variety of authors who excel at skill with prose, and read with awareness, studying what makes them - for you - better than other authors. For themes, though, intent will take you a long way. When you first set your tone and atmosphere, try to have at least some concept of an overall theme for your book or story. Within that general theme, you'll probably intentionally (or maybe unintentionally) start developing smaller themes - iterations - repeating ideas or symbolism that tie concepts or actions together into a more spectacular whole.
I very happily read books and watched movies for decades, with no conscious awareness of themes. As a writer, though, I've realized that writing with forethought and intention - even as a pantser - adds depth and layers to a story that readers will feel even if they don’t consciously recognize or analyze the reasons. Think of movies or books that have stuck with you, resonating over the years - they probably have powerful themes and emotional depth. One of my favorite movies is Watchmen, based on the graphic novel of the same name. It wasn’t until after I’d seen the movie three or four times that I began to realize the clever use of themes and iterations of images. There is a basic premise: What if, beneath their costumes, superheroes are as fallible as ordinary people? But there are also a slew of subtle iterations: Time - the doomsday clock at five till midnight, the happy face with a drop of blood at the 11 o’clock spot, Dr. Manhattan’s watchmaker father, and more. Political and social overtones. Identity.
Your book themes can be straightforward - good versus evil, guilt and redemption, overcoming fear, etc. - but how much complexity you give your themes will largely determine how much depth your book will have. Again, I’m not putting valuation on one type of book over another. Write what you love, but write it with intention. Know your theme when you begin. Be able to summarize the theme of your book in one sentence. Be able to identify your minor themes and to recognize the incidental ones when they pop up. Develop them as much or as little as you like, but do so consciously.
While the ability to write gorgeous prose may come naturally to a few writers, I think for most of us it’s a skill that’s learned over time. I have no advice for you here, except what I apply to myself: become a student of the craft. Read books by a wide variety of authors who excel at skill with prose, and read with awareness, studying what makes them - for you - better than other authors. For themes, though, intent will take you a long way. When you first set your tone and atmosphere, try to have at least some concept of an overall theme for your book or story. Within that general theme, you'll probably intentionally (or maybe unintentionally) start developing smaller themes - iterations - repeating ideas or symbolism that tie concepts or actions together into a more spectacular whole.
I very happily read books and watched movies for decades, with no conscious awareness of themes. As a writer, though, I've realized that writing with forethought and intention - even as a pantser - adds depth and layers to a story that readers will feel even if they don’t consciously recognize or analyze the reasons. Think of movies or books that have stuck with you, resonating over the years - they probably have powerful themes and emotional depth. One of my favorite movies is Watchmen, based on the graphic novel of the same name. It wasn’t until after I’d seen the movie three or four times that I began to realize the clever use of themes and iterations of images. There is a basic premise: What if, beneath their costumes, superheroes are as fallible as ordinary people? But there are also a slew of subtle iterations: Time - the doomsday clock at five till midnight, the happy face with a drop of blood at the 11 o’clock spot, Dr. Manhattan’s watchmaker father, and more. Political and social overtones. Identity.
Your book themes can be straightforward - good versus evil, guilt and redemption, overcoming fear, etc. - but how much complexity you give your themes will largely determine how much depth your book will have. Again, I’m not putting valuation on one type of book over another. Write what you love, but write it with intention. Know your theme when you begin. Be able to summarize the theme of your book in one sentence. Be able to identify your minor themes and to recognize the incidental ones when they pop up. Develop them as much or as little as you like, but do so consciously.
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