Philip K. Dick keeps his stories moving along so that there's never a dull moment. John Lennon loved his work, especially Eye in the Sky. Of course Lennon was primarily attracted to the psychedelic elements of Eye in the Sky, but the book is also a page-turner. The question is, Philip K. Dick How does Dick manage to make his books so irresistible? And what can you do to achieve a similar irresistible style?

Philip K. Dick knew how to make a story engaging. He used three techniques to do this:

  • Characters based on real people.
  • Unusual settings and situations.
  • Plot twists and turns to keep readers interested.

My favorite novel by Philip K. Dick is The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch. MS page I read it when I was in my teens and it made an indelible impression on me. The characters are realistic, even though we're in a sci-fi story. This is important - you've got to base your fictional people on real people you know, just as great painters paint from real human models. The settings of the story are fantastic. This is also something you can imitate in your fiction or nonfiction. While you don't have to set your stories on Mars or a futuristic Earth to get reader attention, making sure your setting in exciting in some way is a plus. And finally, the novel has plot twists that kept you wondering what's going to happen next.... Your work will have the same irresistible quality provided you take the time to add narrative or plot surprises.