Hello, Lovely Soul Drop ! Sorry I'm posting this a tad late. I got distracted by telling stories to my mom! When I write I think of her as my toughest reader! She gets bored easily but I learned how to keep her entertained. How? I'll give you three tips!
1. Moderate the details: Being descriptive is very important because it will allow your reader to get a more vivid image of the scene! However, too many details or facts can turn a fantastic story into a boring series of words. How can you avoid adding too many details or facts? Read it again and ask yourself: Is this information truly relevant to the story? Does it add to the plot? I know you love your story but some information should only be yours to keep!
2. Keep them asking questions! There's a reason we love writing hangcliffs! They keep the reader waiting for what's coming next. There are other ways to keep the reader asking questions about your story. How? Easy! Foreshadowing. This literary device is used to give clues to your reader about what's going to happen using symbols such as a crow to represent death. The key is to make them guess by creating a recognizible pattern they will want to decipher. We love mysteries, to find out the end of the story. It's part of our human nature. Take advantage of that! Even if your story isn't mystery themed.
3. Remember who is your reader: Each story has their listeners, not every story is for everyone. Who are you writing for? How do they talk? What's important for them? You should write for yourself but also for your reader! Remember, you have to like what you write in order for others to like it! As a perfectionist I know how hard that can be! Keep trying to fall in love with your work, this will help you stay true to yourself.
What's your favorite book? What do you love about it so much? Learning from others is super useful! I hope these tips have helped you somehow.
With much love,
Bel.