What makes a story worth writing?

“What makes a story worth writing?”

It’s the first question any aspiring author seeks to answer before putting in the work.

The human experience is rife with tales worthy of being shared, ultimately bringing joy and even exuberance to highly enthusiastic readers.

But not all stories deserve to be written, more so become bestsellers.

In an industry with many titles left in dusty archives and shelves, you’d be foolish to think your book will bring guaranteed success.

There’s a difference between writing a story worth reading and writing something merely because you have the commitment to it.

If you don’t intend to make a living writing, then the latter won’t be a concern. But because you’re reading this, it only means you’re serious about your craft.

As a natural-born storyteller, you must determine if your work is worth anyone’s time before you sink hours into it.

There’s no shortage of inspiration in you – that’s for sure.

But your enthusiasm for a great story often doesn’t equal what constitutes a great book to readers.

It’s a balance between sentiment and logic.

Let’s put it this way: You can write a story with the world’s greatest message, but you have failed if it doesn’t touch readers and move them to action.

No matter how sentimental, important, or meaningful a story is from your perspective, you need to consider what makes it marketable.

It’s about the story’s impact on readers and how much they need it (or if they actually do).

The Value of Telling Your Story 

Whether imagined or real, every story must carry with it some value.

It’s the greatest deciding factor for determining if your work deserves publication.

Your readers should gain something significant from your writing, and this could be in any form – emotion, knowledge, or moral lessons.

• Emotion – A story’s value lies in how it moves its readers. If it elicits an emotional response, then you know it’s worth pursuing. The likelihood of people connecting with your story is high if it touches on the shared human experience and how we all struggle in some capacity.
• Knowledge – A book can also be valuable as a source of information, giving readers a new perspective on unfamiliar ideas or life lessons they may not have considered before. A good example of a story imparting valuable knowledge is a memoir or biography, where the author recounts real-life experiences that offer insight into certain aspects of life.
• Moral Lessons – Through stories, readers not only gain an understanding of people and their world but also how to live in it. Moral lessons are typically found in the literature that allows readers to make sense of their lives by recognizing characters going through similar struggles.

Theme

No matter how interesting your story might be, it wouldn’t hold a reader’s attention if it didn’t have a central theme or message.

Themes are a powerful force that binds readers to the narrative and drives the plot.

They usually reflect on real-world issues, i.e., poverty, racism, crime, and even existential dilemmas.

Every story should have an underlying theme – to connect to readers personally and speak to their lives, one way or another.

That said, crafting a story means having a well-defined purpose.

Don’t be afraid to explore ideas outside the box, as this might be what sets you apart from other authors with similar stories.

The story must be clear and succinct, no matter how complex the theme may seem.

This one’s non-negotiable. It means you must be confident in the story’s direction and how it will bring value to readers.

Characters

Even with a powerful theme, your story won’t be as effective without relatable characters to tell it.

To capture a reader’s attention effectively, your characters must have believable personalities that readers can connect with and root for.

A compelling story likewise needs multi-dimensional characters rather than one-note; this is something that readers should remember: characters are more than just the superficial traits they possess.

The term “multi-dimensional” doesn’t just refer to physical characteristics; it also refers to the inner struggles of your characters.

This is essential in keeping the reader engaged and turning pages.

A character’s development must reflect on how they react and evolve throughout the story and how they ultimately deal with their conflicts.

The same goes for your protagonist – they must be complex and have an arc of development within the story. An author’s task isn’t just about creating a character to tell the story but rather about crafting a genuine and in-depth story.

The protagonist’s actions should speak volumes about what kind of person they are and how they view the world around them.

Now that those elements are out of the way, it’s time to explore four criteria you can use to determine if your story is worth writing – and ultimately sharing with the world.

Is Your Story Unique?

Does it offer a perspective or angle not currently covered in the genre you associate with?

If so, then your story may very well be worth exploring.

Uniqueness is a highly sought-after trait when it comes to stories, and readers will be keen to pick up anything that stands out from the rest.

We’ve come across many books where the first reaction would be, “I’ve read this before,” and the answer to whether it’s worth writing should be an obvious “NO.” A story that’s way all too familiar won’t offer much value, and readers will be quick to move on.

Is Your Story Relevant?

The world is ever-changing, as are the topics people find interesting or relate to.

Relevance is an essential factor in determining if your story is worth pursuing.

Themes currently being discussed, i.e., human rights, social equality, and the like, are usually topics readers are interested in.

If you can explore these issues without offering a black-and-white perspective but rather by providing thoughtful insight or commentary through your characters’ actions or stories, then you have yourself a winner.

Does Your Story Have Purpose?

A defined purpose determines how your story progresses and develops.

It also gives you a reason to explore the characters and their actions deeper.

Take this for example: If your story is about the environmental crisis, and it’s an issue close to your heart, then why not use your platform to inform people about this?

While you cleverly hide the purpose behind a captivating story, you must have made a point with your story at the end.

Is Your Story Timely?

Timely stories often speak to societal issues, as they have the prospect of going viral and creating powerful conversations. That said, if you believe your story is timely and speaks to a certain social topic, it may be worth writing.

Does it Have Meaning?

At the heart of any worthwhile story is the meaning behind it. As mentioned, this could come in various forms – emotional response, imparting knowledge or lessons, etc.

Readers ought to be able to tell what kind of message you are trying to convey, thus creating an overall feeling of satisfaction. After all, satisfaction is, by far, the biggest reward for any storyteller.

Who are you Trying to Impress?

Stories, whatever they are, are meant to impress. This question begs to answer who that audience is.

You can’t please everyone, so you must know who you are trying to reach and how to do it effectively.

Your target audience dictates whether your story will count as worthy or not.

For instance, if you are writing a story about a dystopian society and your target audience is teenagers, then the tone of that story must be appropriate for their age range. The same goes for any niche – pick something that caters to your readers’ interests.

Now, if you think we’re done figuring out if your story is worth writing, you’re mistaken. We’ve barely scratched the surface. Below is a set of guidelines to follow:

1 – Figure out your influences.

It may sound cliche, but being aware of the stories influencing you is key to recognizing your unique voice.

Doing some research on authors who have achieved success in their work will give you a better understanding of how writers tell their stories.

Once you do that, you can better gauge the worthiness of your story.

Think of it this way: is your story similar to those great works? If not, can you relate it to one?

You’re supposed to ask yourself these questions because if your story isn’t as unique, it may be worth setting aside.

2 – Write down your ideas.

This should be done as soon as possible, no matter how small or insignificant they may seem.

It helps streamline the creative process and ensures you don’t forget your great ideas. Doing this will also allow you to assess better whether your story is worth writing.

Keeping a journal or notepad with you at all times – or having a dedicated folder on your computer – is essential for this.

Countless cases of writers forgetting what would have been a brilliant story because of not jotting it down!

3 – Get feedback from experts and peers.

Getting insight from those familiar with the industry will help you decide if your story should be written or left alone, as they can provide an objective opinion on whether it has the attributes required for a successful story.

Having peers read your ideas and provide honest feedback makes a ton of sense, too. These people share the same traits or personalities as some of your readers, making them the perfect candidates to understand what they would like in a story.

Taking this one step further, you can ask them to suggest changes if they feel something needs to be amended or changed entirely. It never hurts to get a second opinion.

4 – Make sure it is worth your time and effort.

This isn’t just about the story but also what kind of effect writing it will have on you. As with any creative endeavour, an emotional investment is attached to it. Will you be completely satisfied if you give up halfway?

Is this something that has had a profound effect on you already?

If the answer to both questions is “no,” it may not be worth writing.

That said, if you feel that this story will be something you look back on with pride – even if it doesn’t garner massive success – then absolutely go for it!

It’s a Waiting Game

The worthiness of a story is tricky to judge, and, in many scenarios, it’ll require you to wait and see how people react to it down the line. But that doesn’t mean you can’t come up with a story worth writing – if you stick to these guidelines, your chances of doing so will be higher.

What you can do once you’ve gone through the guideline is to perform a test run. Grab some paper or your computer and write the first few paragraphs of your story.

Then, read it out loud – this power of having to hear it will tell you whether it’s worth writing. Spend at least a week brainstorming and adjusting. After that, assess how you feel about the entire process. If you’re still excited to continue, it’s a telltale sign that you have something special going on here.

It’s like waiting out if your infatuation with someone is real – you can’t be sure until time passes and reveals it. The same applies to your story – give yourself time to evaluate and decide.

Final Thoughts on Writing Your Story

You’ve heard of authors spending decades on a single work.

Writing is a long, arduous process, and it could be difficult, even impossible, to tell in the beginning if your story has the standards necessary for success.

Even after following all these guidelines – or ignoring them completely – you just won’t know until you’ve actually written the book.

However, at least then, you’ll have gone through that creative journey and can look back with no regrets. At least you’ve tried.