For years, I have asked myself this question and wondered the same. Thanks to Leverance for making the request. Now, we have some idea and a place to start. "To be, or not to be: that is the question." William Shakespeare 

Everyone has their own opinion on what makes a classic. "A classic novel is one that has survived many, many years, received the approval of billions of critical eyes and minds, and has had such value that other authors have been inspired and changed by it," said Paul Sheckarski, a librarian for teens at a library in Tulsa, Oklahoma. However, according to Dictionary.com, the definition of the adjective classic is "an author or literary work of the first rank, especially one of noticeably enduring quality." 

When we think of "the greats," it's quite true that my list of classics could be quite different from yours. For instance, to me, Charlotte's Webb by American author E. B. White is the only book I can remember reading in elementary school, besides Dick and Jane See Spot Run books. And, while I can remember the latter, the former is my favorite book of all time. Other than the books I remember actually helping me learn how to read, my entire elementary experience can be summed up in three words: Zuckerman's Famous Pig.

https://youtu.be/DjEJLp7VR3U

While everyone may have their own ideas about what makes a classic a classic, I've found a few key points to consider when attempting to write one of your very own. For a classic to be considered a classic, it should:

Be Timeless

"A classic work is an expression of art, life, and beauty", according to About.com. Therefore, the work itself is a reflection of the time period during which it was written, and it remains universal, forever withstanding the test of time. Consider Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice or Harper Lee's To Kill A Mocking Bird. According to Ally Carter, American author of young adult fiction and adult fiction novels, the reasons these are classics in her eyes is because "There's something intrinsically true about both of them and when that's the case the story will never age."

Be Themed

A classic work is themed around universal human experiences, according to Classiclit.about.com. This means they are written to gain primary emotional responses and are centered around things like love or hate that are understood across a broad age and experience range. Another theme would be making connections between other writers or works that contain universally accepted truth or wisdom, or containing information about history that are either implied or directly referenced within the work itself. Let's say, C.S. Lewis' The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. Considered a classic of children's literature, this is one book in a series of seven high fantasy novels that weaves magic and the supernatural seamlessly referencing spiritual principles and biblical examples that are priceless, both implied and directly. This is my favorite of them all, because there are so many Christian narratives in that story, both believers and nonbelievers have to stop and wonder what the writer is implying with the Sons of Adam and the Daughters of Eve, or the rise and fall of the White Witch, to the resurrection of Aslan and the crowning of Susan, Peter, Edmund and Lucy. Genius!

Have Archetypes

A classic work is one that typically has examples of a certain person or thing that are still relevant in literature. This concept, per Wikipedia, appears in areas relating to behavior, modern psychological theory and literary analysis. For example, Homer's Odyssey has many different archetypes that are still relevant in literature, film art and theater. Some of the archetypes include the trickster, the mentor, the temptress and the underworld archetype.

(Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archetype)

Foreshadow

A classic offers its readers a glimpse into the future. For instance, in this scene of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, Romeo has just spent the night with Juliet prior to leaving for his exile to Mantua. Both young people are distraught at their impending separation and try to stall as long as possible. When Romeo starts to depart from Juliet's room, she tells him that her "ill-divining soul" is responsible for this vision of Romeo dead in a tomb. Not many hours pass before her words come true, and she awakens in the tomb to find Romeo dead.

(Sources: quotations.about.com) 

With that said, below I will link five elements that will turn your book into a masterpiece. At least that's the title of the article. I say, "It's worth a try. Come on, let's write!"

To this day, I still enjoy reading and watching Charlotte's Webb. Why? Because, the characters are real, the concerns are valid and each situation is true. Timeless insecurities that resonate from one generation to the next, all centered around Zuckerman's famous pig, Wilbur, who slowly sees himself the way the mysteriously talented and intelligent spider, Charlotte, does and literally transforms himself from bacon to a bonafied member of the family by simply believing in himself, all because of love.... and the help of Templeton the rat who I now realize Charlotte bullied to some degree. While this is my favorite classic, other works to consider are listed in an article entitled 100 Greatest Novels of All Time and can be found here: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2003/oct/12/features.fiction . Some would include The Color Purple, The Scarlet Letter, Moby Dick, Little Women and many more.

From what I have found, it's hard to tell if a book will become a classic because you can't determine if future generations will still be reading it. While some argue that Harry Potter is a great work of art, literary critics have yet to come to any consensus as to a clear and concise definition of whether it will be considered classic material for this reason. Regardless, J. K. Rowling's has changed the literary game, even if her legacy will not entirely be literary. With her status, and her paychecks, I'd settle for just being on the team.

What are some of your most beloved stories, and why are they considered classics to you? In between penning your own, tag me and let me know. Happy reading and writing! "To be, or not to be: that is the question."

Resources:

Five Elements That Will Turn Your Book Into A Masterpiece, <http://www.drmarcdbaldwin.com/2011/09/how-to-write-a-classic-novel-5-elements-that-will-turn-your-book-into-a-masterpiece/>

Seven Key Elements on How to Write A Classic, <http://www.nownovel.com/blog/how-to-write-a-classic/>