What makes a good story?

Week 3: What makes a good story?

I’m going to restart my storytelling, and my originally I thought this would be a great thing to start my blog about. As I’m starting to write, I’m finding I want to write a book one day. Perhaps a high-fantasy book or sci-fi scenario. Through my years storytelling and reading and writing books, I’ve noticed that there are principles that one must follow for a good story. I’ve also notice a lot of stories have a lot of similar premises.
For a story/book, usually these unspoken rules apply (but not always)

1) The story must be about choices and expectations/disappointment.
2) Successful stories are almost always about choices and change. There must be conflict in the choices of the protagonist. Both Pro’s and Con’s in both of the options available to the hero/heroin
3) A story of good vs. evil (but not always) Even if never using these words, stories about right and wrong usually pulls on the heart-strings of readers.
4) Misdirection in a story. Surprise. Stories that are easy to predict leave the reader un-interested in continuing the story. There must be conflict, tragedy, and hope. So the reader feels like there’s a reason to continue reading about the character, knowing that there’s hope in the end of the book. Especially when it has tragedy.
5) Give description of the scene to duplicate the emotion rather than describing the emotions. Never say “He felt angry” instead use words like, “He started to breath heavier, and his forehead frown down onto his eyes.” Or “His skin turned a healthy pink in frustration.”
6) There must be change in the character. Although, I’ve found that change is a byproduct of the writing. If a book is already about conflict and choices of the protagonist / antagonist, change will automatically be written in the mind of the author.
7) The main character is usually brought up to the reader within the first page.
8) An exciting incident happens within ten pages.
9) There will usually be foreshadowing
10)In stories where there are “morals” or “lessons”, the most successful stories will have the lesson be given to the main character in an alternate manner. For Example, in the movie “Finding Nemo”, the father fish had problems of letting his son do things on his own. When the father wish was in the mouth of a whale, trying to find his son, he was told to “let go” of the whale’s tongue, but he could because he was scared of being swallowed. He eventually let go, was sent out through the blow-hole. The foreshadowing of the lesson was in the scenario and the choices of the character, but the choice was in another scenario for the character to decide in. It wasn’t about the choice of letting go of his son, but letting thing go to “chance” in general.

When reading a story, ask yourself
1) What were the expectations?
2) What were the choices?
3) Did the characters change in the story?
4) Did they “Show” the emotion, and not tell?
5) Where their good details? Can you see, hear, taste, and feel the scenario?
6) Was there an interesting beginning and end?
7) Was the Title good or appropriate?