Good stories usually have a beginning, middle and end. The beginning introduces the characters, sets the scene, and draws the reader into the story. In the middle, characters usually face some type of challenge, and the main action of the story takes place. In the end, the character solves the problem and everything is resolved.

If you make sure your main character is someone your readers would enjoy spending time with, they'll be with you for the entire story! Breathe life into your characters. Let your readers know how your characters think and feel, in addition to what they do and what happens to them.

Create pictures in the minds of your readers. For example, instead of saying "Her eyes were blue," you could tell your readers "Her eyes were the color of the ocean" — or "the sky" — or even "a swimming pool."

You can set up a moment where your readers think they know what will happen next, but then startle them with an unexpected twist. By introducing lots of surprises, you can keep one step ahead of your readers.

Remember that in a solid story, everything ties together in the end. And if the story is really good, your readers will feel like that's the only way things could have possibly turned out.