The principal ingredient, the one component that is absolutely critical in mainstream novels is the central character(s).

Plot is important of course, but unless you can create a rapport between your readers and characters, the plot means nothing.

So what about fantasy, what about sci-fi and thrillers do they place more emphasis on plot? Not so. Characters matter most. Think JK Rowling's Harry Potter, think Stephenie Meyer's Twilight. Would the stories be so popular if there were no Harry Potter to care about? Would Twilight matter without Bella?

Searching for a unique storyline is a waste of time. You might find one, you might just be the one this decade to come up with something entirely new, but chances are you won't.

New writers run around like headless chickens thinking they have to uncover an original plot. Believe me, after all this time, after all the books that have been published, it's almost impossible to find something that hasn't been done before.

Forget unique, instead, think fresh approach. Tell the same old storyline in a different way, make your VOICE unique, rather than the plot, and you'll stand a far better chance of succeeding.

Was Twilight unique, was Harry Potter original? - Nah! Not one bit, been there done that, read it all before. Their creators just found a fresh and intriguing way of telling an old tale.

A good central character is what keeps readers turning pages. If characters are well sketched, if a reader ‘connects' to them, they'll want to know how the protagonists get over difficulties. They'll become anxious, as they would for a friend, and want the whole thing to turn out right.

If your characters are cardboard cutouts, if they don't come to life, readers won't be caught up. If they don't get caught up, they'll become bored; they'll toss the book to one side and it will die. Readers MUST believe in the characters.

Characters should resonate. They should be like real people. They should have passions, opinions, loves, and disappointments - just like real people. Not ‘run of the mill' people of course, successful novels aren't concerned with ‘run of the mill'.

Average people lead average lives not interesting lives. Your characters must be larger than life, be interesting people, yet still be ‘real'.

Characters are most successful when you, as author, equate with them. You should identify with them and take pleasure in their company. As the author you HAVE to be absorbed with the story, if you aren't, forget it.

Psychologists allege that all characters are a representation of some component of a writer's persona. Maybe it's true, maybe not, but it matters nothing, as long as you as writer, fully empathize with them. If you don't your story will never get off the ground.

You should be the first person to believe in your characters or what chance do they have?

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