If there is one thing an author loves to hear from one of their readers is that they just couldn’t put the book down. So what makes a book into a real page-turner? What is it that stops readers from getting on with their chores or going to bed, preferring to keep reading instead? Chapters that end in a way that compels the reader to keep going, to have the need to know what happens next and the occasional cliffhanger. Words that raise questions – who is the murderer? Do they escape? Do the characters finally fall in love? You don’t want your readers to find out too early so how do you keep them reading?

By Creating Stakes That Really Matter

If there is nothing at stake for your character to work towards then your readers aren’t going to be interested. It doesn’t need to be a matter of life and death but it must feel that way. The tension needs to be built up throughout the book, just small things that go together to create a story that keeps people reading.

By Creating Unpredictable Characters

Create a character that your readers might think they’ve got a handle on until he or she goes and does something completely out of character. If your characters are too predictable then your story gets boring and there is no incentive for anyone to read it. Don’t just concentrate on your protagonist though; you also have an antagonist and you have a supporting cast of characters. Bring them into the story but give them their own story too.

By Creating Twists

If there is one thing designed to keep a reader guessing, it’s in creating a story that twists about; that makes people think they know what is going on, only to have the carpet pulled from under their feet. That said, everything in the book must make sense in respect to the entire story. Think about a magician. Everything happens right in front of you but the magician draws your attention away from it so you don’t actually see it. Do the same with your story; write an interesting storyline and add details and clues that will support the twist. Your readers will be able to see that the clues were always there, they just missed them.

By Creating a Pace That Has Purpose

Several factors will have an impact on your story pacing. You need to ensure that you have the right balance between dialog and exposition; the action in your story; where the breaks happen in the chapters; the stakes and by creating a ticking time bomb that adds pressure and tension.

By Giving Your Readers Something to Talk About

Something makes a person read a book all the way to the end and then tell their best friend that they must read it so they can discuss it. You need that kind of tension in your story and all these stories have things in common – great characters, different perspectives for each character, scenarios that are larger than life and so on.  You need to think about this when you write your book, think about giving your readers a reason to get together and discuss your book.

Get these 5 tips into your book and you truly will have created a proper page-turner, a book that has your readers coming back for more.