Every book tells a story, and it’s your job as the author to tell a tale that grabs your reader by the collar and pulls them in for more.

We’ve all been there before: Head down in a book, eyes feverishly scanning the page in front of us, reading as fast as we can so that we can find out what happens next. You are completely and utterly immersed; the pages can’t turn fast enough for you. The words are gripping and the story is mesmerizing.

It’s this sort of book that makes storytelling so exhilarating – and such an imperative part of writing your book.

Perhaps one of the most important pieces to the storytelling puzzle is your ability to make a story so real that the reader feels like they are living out the scenes. Now, it’s important to note that there are genres where make believe and imagination take precedence. But, if you’re writing a mystery, you’ll want to make your audience believe that your plot could actually happen in reality.

The minute your narrative becomes unbelievable is the minute you lose your readers’ interest. Readers want to immerse themselves in your book, and you want to hold on to their respect throughout the duration of your story. If you throw a curveball that leaves them scratching their heads as to how something could have happened, you’ve lost them. Keep your story rooted in reality.

Think of writing a story like riding a rollercoaster. In the beginning it’s calm, you buckle up and the wheels slowly begin to churn along the rails. Slowly but surely, you make your way up the hill. It’s at this moment that your heart begins to pound. What lies beyond the crest of the hill? It’s this jarring and exciting feeling that you want to evoke from your readers. When it comes to storytelling, an element of escalation and culmination are extremely important. Take your readers on a wild ride as they navigate through your story – ups, downs and corkscrews will keep them holding on until the end of the ride. Create a sense of excitement and tension that your readers can feel popping off the page.

This is just volume one of our storytelling tips. Check back in the coming weeks for more.

Copyright Dorrance Publishing, 2016