What Makes a Good Book?

by Molly Jo Realy @RealMojo68

Blank Pages are the World’s Canvas

Do you enjoy the written word in all its forms? Do you get distracted with closed captioning on your TV? What can I say: Join. The. Club.

As y’all have probably noticed, part of the blog redoux is book reviews. I’m trying to read one book each week. It’s a challenge, but so far, so good. At least for the past month. [It doesn’t hurt that the books I’ve read and reviewed are shorter than an average length novel. But hey, a girl’s gotta start somewhere.]

I know what I look for in a good book, and if you’ve read my reviews (oh, please tell me you’re reading my reviews!) you can pick up on what I like and don’t like. There are some aspects which are personal preference. I’m not a fan of profanity or gruesome bloodshed. Other readers may not have a problem with it. I’m drawn to historical romances, fantasy, and mysteries. Some people prefer science fiction and thrillers.

No matter what your reading style is, I hope you’ll agree there are some things that fundamentally make a good book:

Good editing. Y’all can think the best story in the world, but if it’s not clear on paper, it won’t sell.
A balance of dialogue vs action. “You can’t just keep rambling,” BEE said. Nippers rolled his eyes and poured another cup of coffee.
First line, last line. Each book, each chapter, and hopefully each page leaves your reader wanting more.
Description where it counts. Only where it counts. A book causes a movie to play in the head of the reader. Unless the specifics are necessary, leave a little room to the imagination. Describe people, scenes. Not the secondary atmosphere. A woman with long, red tresses is different than A tall female, gangly and pale, with carrot-red hair twisted under her black fedora. “She walked past the garbage which reeked of last week’s take-out.” We don’t need to know what last week’s take-out was. We already know that smell.
Leave the door open a little. Not everything is wrapped up neatly in life. The end of a good book will conquer the plot at hand, but still leave a few questions unanswered.