I ran a survey a while back on my social networks about the secrets of successful fantasy books.
I wanted to gauge people’s interest in this genre, their reading habits, their spending habits regarding books, and so on. It was in preparation of building my personal website and promoting the fantasy book series I’m working on – “Angel Afterlife”.
But people gave me more than just marketing & sales insights. They gave me extra hope that I’m on the right path as a writer. Moreover, I glimpsed a tiny part of their journey in life.
Here are the highlights of what people say a successful fantasy book is:
- When it helps you disconnect from reality.
- Any book that manages to transport you into the story.
- A successful fiction book, like any other, consists of creating a timeline that is easy for the reader to follow, with a few situations or characters with whom the reader can relate (this often draws interest… finding yourself in the character’s shoes or in similar situations), and building a story that keeps you in suspense.
- With very rich action. Many twists and turns.
- When I finish it, I still remain in the book’s world for a while.
- It needs to have a story that always makes me curious to keep reading. It should have well-defined characters, descriptions, and dialogues. Also, some plot twists, and it should always be surprising—something I can’t predict as I go, not predictable at all. Perhaps most importantly, it should make me feel different emotions as I read.
- It should have a logical, interesting story, well-constructed characters, and, of course, not too much narration.
- In general, I don’t read much fiction. For me, a good fiction book should make me think, make me ask questions, and later find answers. A good fiction book also makes me live the subject so intensely that I sometimes forget I’m reading a book.
- I like to see the author’s great personality between the lines, even if it’s a product of their imagination.
- It should be captivating, make me care about the characters, and even though it’s fantasy, it shouldn’t feel impossible. It should have a surprising ending and be coherent throughout.
- A successful fiction book manages to create connections between the characters in the story and the reader. If I’m engrossed in the story, I finish the book very quickly, and at the end, I wish for a sequel or at least a few more pages.
- I don’t read much fiction, but I like action to be well-defined and stay within the bounds of reality (without six-headed dragons).
- A book you can’t put down, and I feel like I want to reach the end but also don’t want it to be over.
- A book that creates various emotional states and takes you beyond your own limits.
- It should keep me in suspense and have a well-constructed action. Oh, and the ending should not be predictable.
- It creates a fascinating new universe.
- A book that helps you break from daily routine and keeps you captivated in a world of possibilities, while also offering some life lessons that align with reality.
- A book that creates a world you can immerse yourself in, that fascinates or absorbs you almost entirely, where you step into the characters’ shoes.
- It should meet my personal expectations and leave me thinking about its subject and the characters long after I’ve finished reading it.
As people point out, a successful fantasy book captivates you by transporting you into an immersive world, allowing you to escape reality and fully experience the universe crafted by the author. That’s escapism in a nutshell.
Moreover, they say that it must build strong emotional connections through relatable characters and situations, making them see themselves in the story. With an unpredictable plot full of twists and turns, it keeps them in suspense, eager to see what happens next.
Ultimately, beyond their entertainment value, successful fantasy books provide us meaningful lessons and insights that resonate long after the final page is turned. Whether the lessons are metaphorical or actual real-life advice, they give us a touch of reality to find practicality as well.
Sounds like fiction?
No – it’s sy-help. It’s the term I’ve coined for my writing style of blending personal development with fantasy.
That’s what my “Angel Afterlife” book series is all about – when fiction overlaps with reality.
The story is about a journey of self-discovery to uncover one’s inner power in order to stop a demon apocalypse. You can read more about it here.
I’ve recently published the second book in the series – “Inflection Point”, following the release of the first book a year earlier. Check them out if the story appeals to you.
P.S. What’s your opinion on the secrets of successful fantasy books?
Till next time 😊