Unfortunately, that descriptor "good" is a vague one. We may not even know what we're asking when we ask it. We may not want anything from the person we are asking except a nod, and maybe their dinner order. We really only want validation that our creative efforts aren't wasted and that maybe that MFA degree wasn't a waste of money.

ou've written thousands of words of backstory! You know how his parents met, how he got that scar on his pasty white tuckus, and why he gets all shaky and whiny when he's served enchiladas. This is all-important stuff you told yourself as you dumped it out into the first chapter of your work-in-progress. It sets the stage! The readers can really know him! This will make the story richer! But your character's backstory may be have bored your reader to tears. Here's what to do instead.

The narrative voice is the voice of the point of view character that tells the story. With a well-drawn point of view character, a story can be rich and interesting. You want to take the time to get this right.

Last week, this blog suggested five requirements for the first few pages of your bestseller. This week, we present six more!

The first pages of a book are like opening a door. When your reader, agent, publisher or reviewer opens it, you really want them to be so interested that they can’t put it down. To make sure this happens, consider these five requirements for the first few pages.

Will it be a good beginning or a bad one? Within reading the first two sentences, you've already made a decision on whether or not you'll keep reading. Your reader has too. If they have picked up your novel, they may be turned off by what they read if you have one of these eight awful beginnings.

You can use beta readers early in your writing journey, say, after the first draft. Or you can wait for several drafts into it and then let trusted people read it. Either way, you may find it helpful to give them specific questions to answer about your manuscript.

One of my favorite writing books is Story by Robert McKee. I love it because it is a heady, thorough, and challenging explanation of exactly how to tell a story. While it’s designed mostly for screenwriters, I imagine every novelist would find value in it.

I'm completely convinced that you'll make a lot of notes. I'm convinced that you'll hear far more errors than you'll ever see. Reading aloud reveals everything.

Don’t let your lack of knowledge or skill intimidate you. You are not a failure if you have trouble with any of these issues. Real writers, successful writers, don’t let their weaknesses keep them from pursuing their dreams.