The Power of an Unanswered Question
By Jennifer Slattery
Last night I finished a book I enjoyed despite long pages of tedium and an abundance of flashbacks. Halfway through, with numerous other books waiting on my Kindle, I asked myself why I kept reading. I skimmed over large sections, sometimes whole pages, (all totaled, maybe half the book) and yet, continued to the end. Rare for me, as I don’t have the patience to waste time on mediocre novels.
The reason I kept reading despite the my page-skimming? The author planted a driving question I needed resolved.
I was pretty certain I knew the answer. I’ve read enough predictable novels to expect predictability, but I was pleasurably surprised. In the end, the novelist not only answered my question, but in a way I’d never suspected.
As you work on your novels, remember to plant questions in your readers’ minds. More importantly, make sure all those questions—those unknowns anchored at the end of scenes and chapters—point to a larger question, a driving question. It may make the difference between a sludge-pile novel and a best seller.
As a side note, if a reader can skim over anything and still catch the story, delete. It’ll save a tree. 
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1 Comments until now.
Very good.
Unanswered questions have always intrigued readers, provided wise authors installed them, either overtly, or less so. Entire genres of mystery writings attest to that.
May I add, as a corollary, that too many of us hold to what we think are answers, without really knowing what should be the questions.
Always like availing of your insights, Jennifer: thank you.