Remember, when we're lost in a story, we're not passively reading about something that's happening to someone else.
Don't just write a strong female protagonist. Be one.
We may think of ourselves as static anti-heroes, but in reality we're dynamic protagonists just waiting for our courage to kick in.
There are books which you can't tell people about, books so special and rare and yours that advertising your affection feels like a betrayal.
Putting a piece of you in your protagonist adds depth and merges the worlds of fiction and reality.
What was the point of having a situation worthy of fiction if the protagonist didn't behave as he would have done in a book?
There is one final point, the point that separates a true multivolume work from a short story, a novel, or a series. The ending of the final volume should leave the reader with the feeling that he has...