Storytelling is an ancient art form that has been passed down through generations. Characters should be believable and interesting. The setting should be well described and the language should be poetic and evocative.
The first essential element in any good story is undoubtedly character. The protagonist needs to be someone we can root for, and their journey must draw us across the finish line with tears streaming down our faces (or at least provide some sort of emotional payoff). This doesn't always happen by default; sometimes there's quite an involved process that precedes it like characterization or world-building—in whatever form they take.
The second element, which can be considered as just another form of characterization at heart (since it's all about how we perceive people) is the plot: there should always seem like enough is happening on-page so that our interest isn't lost but also never padded out too much with extra detail; an engaging takes into account both sides here!
The third element of a great story is setting - the location where it takes place and how that affects moods, emotions felt by characters within the story.
A good book should evoke strong feelings in its reader; happiness or sadness for example-and leave one thinking about what happened long after they've finished reading when all there was before were just words on paper!
Lynn Tincher
Author of the Mind Bending Series and The Winberie Journals