‘Yes’ Moments.

As a writer, I’m always looking to create that ‘Yes!’ moment in a story. I don’t mean a catchy opening to hook the reader, or even great characters and compelling plot (though I want those too). I’m talking about the point in a story which literally pushes the reader’s ‘Yes!’ button. It creates a perception change which turns whatever they’re reading from being just another book or story to something they can’t put down. It makes them want to share that experience with others.

Ever laughed out loud, burst into tears or just sat back and said ‘Wow! This is great!’ while reading a novel? Those are the ‘Yes!’ moments. They’re the ones we remember for a long time, and (for me at least) those books and stories are the ones we talk up the most.

I believe it’s that ‘Yes!’ moment connection which makes the difference between people forgetting all about the novel they just read, and recommending it to (perhaps even buying it for) someone else. It’s what makes them remember a writer’s name as well as the book’s title. It’s what makes them seek out more of that author’s work.

So how do we go about creating a ‘Yes!’ moment?
I wish I knew. I thought I’d got the crying part nailed – people often burst into tears when I suggest they read my work – but apparently that’s not quite enough.

I do think it requires a strong emotional connection with at least one character in the story, but there’s more to it than just empathy.

Although I’m calling them ‘Yes!’ moments, I think the particular scene or line of dialogue which triggers them is the tipping point rather than the stand-alone cause. The connection with the reader started on page one and (hopefully) built up from there.

What does a ‘Yes!’ moment look like?
For me, they usually come as a surprise. Most of the time it’s a laugh out loud piece of dialogue or a minor story twist, immediately followed by a shocking/sad moment in the story (or vice versa). It could be a piece of raw honesty from a character I related to, or the death/break up/departure I knew was coming but hoped wouldn’t. Sometimes it’s the happy ending, or the poetic justice of the villain’s demise.

My guess is that different readers experience different moments. What connects with some people leaves others cold, so we should aim to have more than a few. If we write them well and work them smoothly into the rest of our story, I’m sure our readers will notice…at least, I hope they will.

How about you?

What ‘Yes!’ moments have you had while reading?

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Born in England, Jon Gibbs, now lives in New Jersey, where he’s a member of several writers' groups, including SCBWI and The Garden State Horror Writers. He is the founder of The New Jersey Authors’ Network and FindAWritingGroup.com.

Jon's debut novel, Fur-Face (a Middle Grade fantasy about unusual friendships, unlikely alliances, and wanting to fit in), was published in eBook form by Echelon Press in 2010 (click here to see the trailer).

His presentation/workshop, The Fine Art of Self Promotion is based on entries from his popular online journal, An Englishman in New Jersey.

Jon can usually be found hunched over the computer in his basement office. One day he hopes to figure out how to switch it on.