WHAT DO WE WANT FROM FICTION?

I often think about what I am trying to accomplish as a writer of fiction.

Do I want to:
-- entertain?
-- warn?
-- frighten?
-- enlighten?
-- teach?
-- provide a meaningful experience?
-- provide an escape from reality?
-- lead the reader to an eternal truth?
-- exercise my writing muscles?
-- all the above?

To answer this Q, I also think about what I want when I read fiction.
That Q is easier to answer.
I want three things:
1. To learn something about myself.
2. To learn something about the world.
3. To have a meaningful and enjoyable aesthetic experience at the same time.

The famous writer Ken Follett said there are three things a successful popular novel must have—my comments added:
• A main character you want to identify with—not some loser.
• A setting, a place, that people want to visit—not some dump.
• A big dramatic question to keep the reader hooked all the way through.

What do you want from fiction? (Add a comment, if you feel like it.)

One answer to my own Q, what I want from writing fiction: To use everything I've got to the best of my ability and to entertain the reader at the same time.

Also, for some reason, writing is difficult work and something I need.

Thanks for reading and for being on Goodreads.

RA