Shika, you asked how writing could be made more exciting aside from through plot. I tell my students to watch out for off-the-peg language. it's not exactly cliche but it's very familiar. The language isn't fresh. I'm not suggesting we should constantly draw attention to how different and vivid our language is - that would be annoying, but subtle, fairly frequent alignment of words in an unusual but wholly apt way makes me want to read on.

Like Lorrie Moore's character on a blind date: his moustache looked like a caterpillar that had crawled up there to find a quiet place to die.

(I'm paraphrasing from memory, but it's pretty close to that, I think.)

The moustache/caterpillar simile isn't special but someone's upper lip being a quiet place to die is such a joy I just want to read more and more.

Noen of the words is unusual - it's not showy vocab it's just a wholly original take on a date's dullness.

There's so much useful info here - thank you

I would never think of a caterpillar going on to someone's top lip to die - I don't know anyone who stops speaking for long enough!

hi just wanted to say thanks for the awesome awesome
input- on this a goal per page- never crossed my mind-
i am writing my first draft- on a first novel-
so this helps a ton !
way cool !
thanks again.