2.Disregard all those tales of outdated broths that must simmer on the fire for years. Forget the mythological character, who strode into a lodging on a cold, stormy night or the mysterious stranger who instantly serves him ancient soup that has cooked forever on life’s hearth. If he eats from that cauldron he will surely die, and so will your manuscript if you use worn out, old themes which have been boiled to death.

3.You must use the freshest ideas to make your story unique and deliciously irresistible to the reader. Just as vegetables make a soup aromatic, so must your ideas make the story delight your reader’s senses. Avoid old used up clichés. They will limit the palpability of your story. Strive to invent original metaphors. Everyone loves a cook’s special twist to an age-old recipe.

4.The soup’s herbs are the story’s verbs. The bouquet garni group of herbs is used in to add flavor to thousands of dishes worldwide. Likewise, a story cannot exist without action, feeling, abstract, or being verbs. Strong verbs are like strong-flavored herbs, potent to the taste, lasting to the memory.

5.Extras added to a soup like tiny pastas, rice or barley give the soup distinct character and body. So too, must your characters stand alone with their own distinctiveness, or blend into the story, leading the ensemble.

Which soup to make? What genre tickles your fancy? Picture books? A soupcon of taste. Fantasy? An ethereal feast. Adventure? Gumbo from another culture. Science Fiction? A wildly new combination of taste limited only by the imagination of the chef. Perhaps you are a basic soup person. You like something that feels familiar. Historical Fiction might be your choice? Tried and true, a recipe known to all.

It’s the reader’s choice, but the writer must satisfy the reader’s fancy.

Substantial stories such as mysteries and sagas are satisfying and filling unto themselves, and like their minestrone and stew counterparts, when served with a loaf of bread and a jug of wine make a meal fit for a King or Queen. A good, hearty story, accompanied by a cup of broth or mug of soup fits the bill and takes the reader on a journey into his or her own mesmerizing Kingdom.

So, gather your story bones, characters, verbs and scenes. Mix with sensory detail, setting, tone and pace. Add action, conflict, and humor and simmer. You will concoct a most delicious cauldron of story, which will be eagerly devoured by your reader, leaving them hungry for more.

More you ask?
That’s called a sequel!