Novels with a certain structure are more likely to be classics
New Scientist 26 September 2025
"Novels need a gripping story to stay popular as the decades pass, but it seems that other less-obvious factors may also contribute to their lasting success...A study suggests the answer may partly lie in the structure of their words and sentences...." Researchers using AI compared early 20th century bestsellers with books popular on Goodreads to assess longevity and found that "bestsellers initially tended to be longer overall, but also used more conversational words, such as 'yeah', 'oh' and 'OK'. These books were also heavier on punctuation. These features may make the novels relatively easy to read quickly, boosting their immediate appeal,...even if their content isn't strong enough to still excite readers today. The books that are still popular with modern readers were shorter, but contained longer sentences and more complex words....which may make them more memorable, perhaps prompting people to re-read or recommend them....Understanding the different factors that give a novel lasting appeal 'would be immensely powerful for publishers and authors alike'...."
