The Greatest Story Never Told

What story should you write?  Are you asking that question right now?  If so, it means I caught you on the cusp of a really big decision.  Naturally, you want to write a good story.  But what constitutes “good”?  This can be really difficult to ascertain when you haven’t written anything, yet.  Let's focus on what we know.  Let's find what we are passionate about.

Everyone has a different passion.  Hopefully, you have a long list of passions.  Because you cannot write a story without it.  At least, you cannot do it well.  You need enthusiasm to energize your story.  What do you desire most in a book?  Is the world you created deeply fascinating to you?  Does your story reflect your passions?

If your unwritten story doesn’t really flip your switch, it only gets worse from here.  You will be immersed in this world for a long time.  Don’t invest your time and effort on something you are meh about.  Don't write a story because you think it is "serious" or literary.  On the other hand, don't write a story just because you think it will sell.  Find the intersection between your passions and your talent.

Here's a good place to begin:

Write the story you have always wanted someone else to write but they never did.

Not talking about fan fiction, here.  We all want to see Captain Kirk and Wonder Woman take on the zombie apocalypse but . . . not really.  Pick the one genre you love above all others and find that story.  You know the story you read and then spend countless hours rewriting it in your head?  It likely turned into something altogether different.  After all, it may be only a small piece of the story that inspired you in the first place.

Reimagine and repurpose the story concepts you loved most.  Take the twists and turns that nobody else seems to make.  Not simply because they don't but because you wish they did.  Take your passion and put it in your story.  Only passion will energize the reader.  Be enthused about your story and just maybe everyone else will be too.

Not enthused about filler dialogue and build-up scenes in your book?  Should you get rid of it?  We'll tackle this in: Tell Me You Didn’t Just Read the End