by Sue Leather
Sue Leather is one of the best writers of original graded readers (see below). Here are her tips for 'writing a really good original reader'.
1. Character first
Really good stories have really good characters.
Think of Jane Austen, think of Tolstoy, think of any great writer. They tell great stories, but they always start from great characters, characters you care about - characters who feel ‘real.’
If you have a good plot, but with bad characterisation, you’ll get a mediocre story.
Really good stories have really good characters.
Think of Jane Austen, think of Tolstoy, think of any great writer. They tell great stories, but they always start from great characters, characters you care about - characters who feel ‘real.’
If you have a good plot, but with bad characterisation, you’ll get a mediocre story.
2. Show Don't Tell
Showing a person’s character, or the relationship between characters by the use of dialogue or action is almost always more effective than telling the reader. It makes your narrative really come alive.
See the longer version of this article for examples.
Showing a person’s character, or the relationship between characters by the use of dialogue or action is almost always more effective than telling the reader. It makes your narrative really come alive.
See the longer version of this article for examples.
3. Less is Sometimes More
This way of describing people applies also to describing things and places.
As the excellent American crime fiction writer, Elmore Leonard, said: ‘I try to leave out the parts that people skip.’
A reader doesn’t read every single word, so make your desriptions sparse but evocative.
This way of describing people applies also to describing things and places.
As the excellent American crime fiction writer, Elmore Leonard, said: ‘I try to leave out the parts that people skip.’
A reader doesn’t read every single word, so make your desriptions sparse but evocative.
4. Use Hooks
Beginnings and endings of chapters are very important too. This is the end of Chapter Six of the classic ‘The Big Sleep’ by Raymond Chandler, the great American thriller writer.
Neither of the two people in the room paid any attention to the way I came in, although only one of them was dead.
Who can resist reading more after that?
Excellent writers use ‘hooks’ to keep their readers reading.
Beginnings and endings of chapters are very important too. This is the end of Chapter Six of the classic ‘The Big Sleep’ by Raymond Chandler, the great American thriller writer.
Neither of the two people in the room paid any attention to the way I came in, although only one of them was dead.
Who can resist reading more after that?
Excellent writers use ‘hooks’ to keep their readers reading.
5. Passion
Technique alone is never enough. You have to have passion
Raymond Chandler
You have to really want to tell the story that your characters are telling you.
As I write I want to know what will happen at the end. I’m excited by the prospect of ‘discovering’ the story.
Technique alone is never enough. You have to have passion
Raymond Chandler
You have to really want to tell the story that your characters are telling you.
As I write I want to know what will happen at the end. I’m excited by the prospect of ‘discovering’ the story.
6. Self-Discovery
You only learn to be a better writer by actually writing
Doris Lessing
Writing is not easy, but it’s a wonderful journey of self-discovery.
By writing I learn more and more about myself and how to be a better writer.
So excuse me while I get back to working on my new story!
You only learn to be a better writer by actually writing
Doris Lessing
Writing is not easy, but it’s a wonderful journey of self-discovery.
By writing I learn more and more about myself and how to be a better writer.
So excuse me while I get back to working on my new story!
A longer version of this article can be found here
Sue Leather has written original readers at all levels for Cambridge University Press, Oxford University Press, Macmillan Heinemann, Mary Glasgow & Cengage/Heinle. You can find Sue's readers on Amazon here
Her intermediate thriller ‘Dead Cold’ (Cambridge University Press )won the 2005 Extensive Reading Foundation Language Learner Literature Award
Sue is currently Development Editor on a new series of original readers for Cengage/Heinle. If you have an idea for an original reader, contact her at [email protected]
The Amsterdam Connection Level 4 (Cambridge English Readers)
Dead Cold Level 2 Elementary/Lower Intermediate (Cambridge English Readers)
