What a Good Story Needs.

You read books or watch moves and it seems like the best stoires have certain things that makes it better.

Now even the best concepts of ideas have to be done right or it won't be a good story.


                                             Mystery 


Okay yes I do like mystery but I am not being bias every good book or movie needs a little mystery. Either the character is trying to solve the mystery and you know who it is already. Mystery adds that suspense or that unknown question; what is going to happen?

Like in the movie How to Frame a Figg( a old movie you might not know), we know what is going on but Hollis A. Figg does not. He sets out with the help of his friends to clear his name.



Then there are some movies where you get to solve it with the detective or you get ripped off and they know something you don't so you had no chance... Anyway there are some stories when you know a secret about the character that no one else around the character knows like in the movie Mulan.




Let me think of a book... The Scarlet Pimpernel is a good one, Isabel catches onto a clue about her husband that had been a mystery to her. When you read the book you catch on what is happening and Isabel still must figure it out. It is a wild ride. There is plenty of mystery to keep you guessing, what is going to happen?








                                                                  Action 

Every good story needs some action. Some stories are full of lots of action but some only need a little. Super hero movies have lots but serous stories might have less. It doesn't have to be a lot from being a bomb exploding or a fight in the school. Something to keep things engaged and the pages turning. I love writing action and seem to always be looking for more ways to add some.

Indiana Jones has lots of action from getting through traps to airplane battles.


Take the movie Hoot there is some action when the kids try to stop the construction to save the owls. There is chase scenes and copes. There is a lot of fun stuff.

A book I like that has a lot of action is the Homelanders Series, there is action nonstop. It has all the action you would want for a action story. Gun fights, car chases, everything.

So maybe you are writing action packed adventure or a story about a bunch of kids trying to make a difference, some action can take your story far.

                                                   
                                           Humor 


A lot of the movies and books I already mentioned above have humor. Mulan has Mushu... do I have to say more boy is he funny, love Mushu.

How to Frame a Figg is more or less a comedy of course I was showing how even a comedy story can have some mystery.

I think humor is very important in a story even a horror could probably have some humor though I have never read one so it depends of course. A basic story should have some humor either it lightens the story or just brings life to it. Of course like anything it doesn't have to be a whole lot.

 The movie Courageous has the right amount of humor that gets you laughing so hard. It brings the story in a full circle with everything a good story needs; Action, little mystery, and humor.
If you have ever seen any of Kendrick Brothers films a lot of their films have the best of every thing.


To take a story that isn't a comedy, the movie Tomorrowland. It is kind of a future story about a place called Tomorrowland and the end of the world is coming. I don't want to give any spoilers away so I'll just say there are some funny parts. Okay I will say it if selective humor not every one will think it is funny I think any way. Idk.
To sum that up, humor is great who can disagree?


                                                 
                                                        In a nutshell 

There are many things that make a great story but these are about some of the most used and needed.

Some will probably say romance is something a story needs. A lot of stories have it yet it doesn't make it better or worse.

I have read and watched great movies that had little romance.
Story line is important and if your a good writer you can write a good story. Think about it though, what good story have you read or watched that didn't have at least one of these things?
A good story surely has all of them.

Like all the ones I have mentioned. So even if you are writing a romance or adventure or modern contemporary or even a salvation story, you can and should add some humor, action, and mystery.



So what else do you think a story should have?
What do you enjoy writing the most?
Have read or seen any of the stories I mentioned? 
Tell me bellow.