One editor said the writing was beautiful, but the story wasn't working.

The story works on a psychological level and as a mood piece.

The story works scientific knowledge into a more traditional form of narrative.

It was a good idea, but the story wouldn't work for me.

He could almost hear her mind clicking as she thought of what story might work.

I never know when I start out whether a story will work.

But why do such stories work so well on us?

She was about to say: because I know how the stories work.

As many past generations have known, the story works just fine without such tricks.

Nice story, glad to see it works for you too.