I have received the following question tonight from a student.

'I am writing an essay at the moment on the woman in black, and im completely confused. What techniques did u use in the beginning two chapters of the novel, and how did you draw the readers in  ? '

This exactly illustrates what worries me about how English Literature is taught and what students are led to believe. The answer is I didn`t 'use techniques' - I wrote a story. That is what novelists do. They don`t - well, I certainly do not - think of using techniques. What you have to do is read the chapters and see how it works.

You also have to decide for yourself, as you are the reader, how you are 'drawn in' to the story. How ? How does any writer draw the reader in to a story - or not ? By use of suspense. By use of dialogue. By creating atmosphere. By having cliff-hanging chapter-endings which make you want to know what comes next. By grabbing the attention from the beginning. Any of these. The reader must decide which work and in a particular book. Or not.

But never think the writer does anything other than write a story. I am drawn into books myself every single day - but I never really know why or how. And why or how other books do not so draw me. So often it is a matter of personal taste. Sometimes the opening sentence does it. You can`t stop reading on from it.

You shouldn`t be confused. The reason people usually are is because they rush at things and because they try to get hold of everything all at once. Take each chapter, go through it slowly and carefully, with a notebook and pen, and work out what is happening, what the author is doing, what your reactions as the reader are and why. You will learn as much from observing yourself as you will from asking me. Probably a lot more.

Good Luck.