The Appeal Characteristics of Fiction and Non Fiction are defined by Reader’s Advisory guru, Joyce Saricks, in her work, Readers' Advisory Service in the Public Library, as those elements in a book that make readers like or dislike reading it. These appeal characteristics are basically: The Pacing, Characterization, the Story Line, and the Frame.

The Pacing of a story is a very important Appeal Characteristic. You’ve heard a book called "a real page turner" which means it is a really fast paced read sometimes with short chapters and short sentences. Books with lots of dialogue move at a faster pace, too. Other books unfold leisurely and they usually contain lots of description which make them appear to drag to those who prefer the faster pace. Some books have straight line plots and others multiple plots. Readers of biographies expect those books to be densely written with lots of detail. Different pacing appeals to different people!

Characterization is another important Appeal Characteristic. Many readers really get involved in a book because they like the characters so much and get caught up in their lives. Series are a good example as many continue reading as each new title is published. Biographies are another good example. Readers enjoy the stories told of popular or obscure people and their lives.

The Story Line is also very important. Many readers like to follow the story line from beginning to end and couldn’t care less about having lots of description to muddy up the story. Sometimes the story emphasizes people or situations or events. The point of view of the story also enters in. Some readers are very particular and will not read a book written in the first person. Romances are always told from the point of view of the main character.

The Frame can mean many different things and is another reason readers like a certain book. The lifestyle of the characters can be the opulence of the rich and famous or it can be the geographical location for those who love reading books set in foreign countries or other parts of the USA. Books written by authors of different backgrounds such as Native American and Hispanic and include part of their heritage are also as part of the frame of the story. Historical novels and historical nonfiction fit into this category as readers love learning about the times and location of the work.