I think a better way of asking the question is, "What makes fiction boring?", and consider the opposite. Boring fiction lacks an arc, salient plot, likeable characters and that wow factor. Who wants to read something that makes you yawn? I want to be drawn in; captivated; up to 2 AM because I can't stop reading--not put to sleep because the story lacks that spicy edge to keep me going.

Cool fiction contains all the elements of a New York Times bestseller, even if it's only a 1,500-word short story. If does the following:

• Entertains


• Evokes emotion


• Satisfies the reader

Think of it as going to the movies and coming out gabbing nonstop about the flick you just saw. You want your fiction to have the same impact. You want someone who finishes it to summarize their thoughts in a single word: "cool!"

Ever see the movie Fight Club? Remember the first rule? "The first rule of Fight Club is you do not talk about Fight Club." The same goes with cool fiction. There are tenets. The most important one is this: "You must entertain the reader." If you have to, stand in front of the mirror and repeat the words until they sink in. Whenever I forget the purpose of my craft, I stop and speak my first tenet aloud. That usually gets me back on track. Here are the tenets of cool fiction:

• You must entertain the reader. Why tell a story if you're going to bore someone to pieces? I want bang for my buck. I want to be entertained. If the mantra, "Do onto others and you would have them do onto you" holds true, put yourself in your readers' place and consider what they might consider entertaining. Then write it.


• You better deliver an excellent product. Good enough isn't. Don't sell your readers short. Write, edit and edit some more. Rewrite a paragraph, scene or second half of your book if it doesn't measure up to the same standard of excellence you'd expect from a bestselling author.


• Make your story unique. You've heard the expression, "What separates the men from the boys?", haven't you? In fiction, you must differentiate your work from others--namely, the mediocre ones. It must be compelling, thought-provoking, unique. Don't rehash. Don't give your readers predictable characters, like the forty-something bartender who happens to know where Joey One-Eye is. Be different. Make your bartender a 21-year-old shape-shifting hottie alien with a starburst tattoo that transmits your conversation to her mothership. Then your audience will take notice.

Now memorize these. If you don't, I'll come over in the middle of the night, wake you up and confiscate your pillows!

What makes a meal unforgettable? Is it the aromas, contrasting flavors, combination of spices, or maybe the textures? When it comes to great fiction, we wonder the same thing: what makes a story unforgettable? Some argue the plot twists; others, the characters; and more still, the emotional connection. What they all have in common is bringing out the passion of a reader.

If you've read a Dan Brown novel, you probably can relate to how difficult it is to put it down. His books are page-turners, with short chapters that typically end in cliffhangers. With Jodi Picoult, it's her characters-strongly drawn and emotionally charged. You feel what they feel. How do they do it? How do these authors create gripping works of fiction? More important, how do they keep loyal fans? They do it by creating quality content on a consistent basis, peppered with fresh ideas that stir our imagination. In other words, they serve up something scrumptious every time.

In my latest novel, Pardon the Mess, I follow suit with my own yummy cuisine. Individually, the parts of the meal are unremarkable. But together, they produce a symphony of flavor. How do I create that delicious 5-course meal? With the right recipe of course. Here are the ingredients I consider crucial to making a dish that's tasty, innovative and memorable:

• Create a likeable protagonist. Let's face it. We want Harry Potter to succeed against Lord Voldemort. Why? Because we like Harry. If we didn't, we'd probably shrug, wish him the best of luck and not care if he got mugged by a muggle. You want your readers to care about your characters, especially your protagonist. That's what I did with Bill Horner, the star of Pardon the Mess. Bill has principles. He might sneak in a Hershey bar at midnight so no one notices he's cheating on his diet, but he'll be damned if someone tries to harm one of his friends. We like upstanding people. Create a shoplifting lowlife with a propensity for kicking animals and see how far someone reads into your story. We want our audience to care for our characters. Then they won't mind so much if a certain someone scarfs down a donut after a power walk when he promised his girlfriend he'd eat healthy (yeah, Mr. Horner, I'm talking to you!).


• Add depth to your characters. Bill is a mixture of confidence and diffidence. On one hand, he's a computer geek who can recover data from any burned-up computer system; on the other, he's a bumbling fool around women. That contrast of strength and weakness builds depth into my protagonist and makes for an interesting story. Make your characters complex and layered with interests, phobias, secrets, foibles and all the other facets that make them, well, human. Your readers will appreciate it.


• Don't forget the supporting cast members. Bill is great, but he ain't alone. I've built a world around him. Why deprive my readers of a good story if I make his friends and family flat and one-dimensional? Bill's girlfriend, Eileen, for example is sweet and caring, but has issues with her father. She's also difficult at times in her relationship with Bill, which confounds him, but she's willing to stick with him, even when he gets in trouble with the law. See? If you make your characters interesting (and challenging), you'll keep your audience engaged. Don't forget your peeps!


• Hit your stride. For me, it's use of humor. It works naturally in my novel. You need to find your own unique voice and use it in your story. Is the tone dark and tense or light and jovial? Write appropriately to fit the mood.


• Write what you know; then shake it up. Are you a geologist? Use that expertise in your story. Your readers will believe in Mr. Jones' passion in seeking out hidden gold deposits in North Korea. Then push yourself into new territory. What if Mr. Jones is captured by the North Korean government and his only hope for freedom lies with sister, Kate, the divorce attorney? Study up on the legal proceedings involving a dictator-run foreign government. Then use what you've learned to help Kate maneuver the legal and political ramifications created by her crazy brother. Research is important. Combine it with your core competency to generate sizzle.


• Franchise. Why write one Harry Potter book when you can write 7? Coming up with a series, whether it's a trilogy or ongoing set of stories, works well in the publishing industry. If you're writing short stories, link them by theme to create an anthology. If you're a novelist, develop a character or group of characters you can run with in subsequent books. Life changes us. We grow emotionally; struggle in business; work through challenging relationships; try to better ourselves. It's an ongoing process. Look what J.K. Rowling did with Harry Potter. He went from being an unsure apprentice magician to facing the Dark Lord himself! Have fun with your characters. Then use them again in a sequel and see what kind of trouble they can get in (and out of).


• Location, location, location. Or plot, plot, plot. The plot is the key to your story. Even if you're writing literary fiction, there's a plot, or more importantly, a crisis of some kind you, the author, must resolve. Stories are about conflict, not picking blueberries in a meadow. If your story is devoid of problems, where is the excitement? Develop your plot by centering on the conflict. It's the attraction factor in fiction and the reason why we bother reading in the first place.


• Avoid straight lines. In storytelling, we use arcs, not straight paths. The story must have a beginning, middle and end. Even if you're writing a trilogy, each volume must stand on its own. Look at the movie, The Empire Strikes Back. It's the second of three movies, but the ending satisfies. Why? Because it meets two important objectives: concluding with a sense of completion; creating a breakpoint for continuity. Don't shoot straight. Your book or short story must have a trajectory that fires from one point on the ground, builds momentum and tension by hitting a middle point above, and then strikes a target that contrasts the beginning and resolves the conflict.


• Emulate. Read, my friend, read! And choose well. If you want to write like the best, read from the best. Go to the bookstore and pick up any bestseller. Then take it home and read it. If you're focused on a particular genre, find successful authors who write what you write, and learn from them. Don't feel bad about stealing a little. Until I came across Dan Brown, my writing style was too artsy. Dan's approach to fiction utilizes shorter sentences and plain English. I started emulating that style, and soon enough, I incorporated it into everything I wrote. If we are what we eat, then pick the choicest cuts and consume them. Soon enough, you'll be writing like a pro.


• Make it cool. Did you describe the bar as a smoke-filled room with strangers hunkering over pints of ale? Boring! Spice things up. Throw in some tension between the patron with the father who's in this country illegally and the man who wants to legalize gay marriage. Maybe the immigrant's son thinks the other guy's drink is "gay," and causes a scene. Don't allow complacency and predictability to exist in your work. Keep it farm fresh; make it sting a little; reach out of the page and pinch the reader's cheek. Do whatever it takes to make your story stand out from the rest. You want to wow your audience by making it cool.