Who Are the Greatest Novelists; And What Makes Them Great?

The art of writing has been utilized since Neanderthals drew on walls. So to compile a list of authors that produced the greatest work is not an easy task. Who are they, and what makes them so great? Because the topic is so subjective it is what makes it so difficult. If one person likes Charles Dickens but someone else doesn't, who determines if he is one of the greatest? A list must take into account the work the author produces and if the novels they have written can seek and maintain the attention of the audience.

Some of the most well known novelists are, Miguel De Cervantes author of Don Quixote, Charles Dickens and Mark Twain. The list continues with William Faulkner who wrote Absalom, Absalom!, F Scott Fitzgerald wrote The Great Gatsby, Virginia Wolf and To The Lighthouse, Nathaniel Hawthorne wrote The Scarlet Letter, John Steinbeck writing The Grapes of Wrath, Margaret Mitchell who wrote Gone with the Wind. Charlotte Bronte wrote Jane Eyre; a popular selection for high school teachers. These are just some of the more popular authors that most people recognize. So what makes an author great?

The basic setup for a good novel is a good story. There are components of a novel that need to be expressed in order to be good. When writing a novel you are essentially telling a story. Your story needs to be interesting and get the attention of your audience. You first need to know who is your audience. Then write your story geared to them. Before you just sit and start writing; you must address the other components of a good novel. You must create your characters, and then create your narrative. This is your story, make sure it makes sense. Every story needs a climax, it's more than just an ending, a climax is a great ending that your audience has been built up to. The ending no one ever expected. It should make your reader surprised or appalled. Once you've done all your work, writing and setting up the story, the marketing, here comes the payoff.

The payoff comes when your novel is the buzz of the town. Your audience wasn't able to put it down. It was interesting or emotional to your readers. Some people may even be angry about the ending. It doesn't matter which emotion, just that the novel invoked emotion. A novel should move people, and create a spark. These authors mentioned above did exactly that with their works. Their novels have been read over many years, and were the focus of many English class assignments. Regardless of how you read these novels, everyone must recognize these works as the greatest novels written. Therefore, they are the greatest novelists.