I quit reading a book tonight. Gulp. I feel a TAD guilty doing this. Now that I'm pursuing this writing thing, I have a better idea of how much work goes into creating a novel-length story. So even though this writer will never know I abandoned their story, well, I still send a silent sorry their way.
I've talked to people who rarely, if ever, quit stories like I do. They hunker down and read until that last period. No matter what. But then there are readers like me, who you must woo to keep engrossed in your story. Which got me thinking... What keeps persnickety (read: loveable) readers like myself invested from start to finish?
Here are my big "must haves" in a story:
1) Sympathetic characters. If I don't care about the characters... Oooh, I wonder if we have any ice cream.
2) A well-paced plot. If I haven't encountered any action or big events in the last few chapters... Hmmm, maybe I could call so-and-so.
3) Some substance. If the story is all frosting and no cupcake... So, I wonder if the library is still open.
What about you guys? Are you committed readers or do you require wooing like myself?
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18 comments:
Hmm. You pretty much hit the nail on the head with all your points. I've put down a bunch of books in the past year, because I've been writing so much.
The ice cream is always a better alternative to characters I could care less about.
Thank you and thank you. Those are the three of the most essential ingredients needed to keep a reader interested. I can only think of two stories I've put down, as I tend to be a finisher of what I start. It doesn't have to be action packed or start with awful violence to get me going, just a voice that knows where it's going and what it's talking about. Very nice post!
Oh yes, woo me. I recently stopped reading a book before I even got halfway. Sadly, I didn't like the characters or the plot. But it's when I don't care for the characters that REALLY gets. If I feel for them then even if not much happens I'm still rooting for them.
At least we can learn from other books so we know what to do or what works for our own writing.
Perfect points about wooing a reader! I'm a read-to-the-end kinda girl, partially because I'm a speed reader so I can get through it quick. I usually dissect books, even bad ones, after I'm done. I've found that even the ones I don't like have helped my writing! Still, there definitely have been books I just couldn't finish.
Lydia Kang: Glad to know another persnickety pants like myself. :)
David P. King: Only two? Impressive!
Cindy R. Wilson: Same here. Characters always trump all.
Shallee: Thanks for visiting!
I feel guilty if I quit reading a book as well. But I agree with your points. I need to connect to keep reading. If I can't connect with a character then it's hard to spend the next 300 pages of my life with them. :)
I need to be wooed. I used to have a 50 page rule, now it's 10 pages. I used to feel a lot of guilt, now I feel none. There are too many excellent books out there to feel bad about abandoning a mediocre one.
Lindsay (a.k.a. Isabella): Yup, totally agree.
Medeia Sharif: Good point!
I don't even give it that much thought. If I am not compelled to keep reading and it feels like a chore to keep turning pages (or pressing the "next page" button on my Kindle, as it were), I'll stop reading it.
I have GOT to be wooed. It doesn't have to be outstanding through and through but it has to be good enough to be worth my free time, which I have VERY little of. I try hard to give a book a chance before I quit, but it does happen on occasion.
Avitable: Yes! If it feels like work then it's a no-go.
Heather: Glad to know a fellow woo-girl.
I used to force myself to finish a book no matter what. Now, I give myself permission to put it down and come back to it later (maybe) if it's just not grabbing me (which, like you, I don't do very often). I'm getting more persnickety the older I get! :) Great post.
Hi Samantha..you hit the nail on the head. Like you I need to be wooed and serenaded by the story I am reading. Hope no one abandons my book.
Jennifer Hillier: Me too! My forcing days are over. :)
Rachna Chhabria: Haha, me either!
I'm a quitter. I'm with Jennifer, if there is a chance it's just my mood I'll set the book aside and come back to it later, allowing myself a break from something I'm not enjoying.
However if I find myself really pushing through each page I put it back and don't feel bad. Some novels just don't work for me, it doesn't mean they don't work for others.
Hi Samantha!
Yes, a a writer, it is vital that we keep those elements in mind as we write because if we don't, it's a death sentence for our books.
I'm with you on that. The story must hook me in order for me to finish it. I don't feel guilty, either. I used to at one time. But feel a writer should keep those elements in mind!
I'm so bad because it's all subjective--those elements you mentioned.
I like your blog! :)
~Elizabeth :)
Time is precious, and I don't want to use it reading a book I'm not enjoying. I put them down all the time - especially the ones I pull off the shelf without a recommendation. I think an author knows his/her writing cannot appeal to everyone. :)
I HATE leaving a begun book unread, but I have to do it nowadays. There's just not enough time to indulge in consuming something filled with grammar problems,logic holes or weak characterization.
That said, I know someone out there probably loved the same book, so maybe it's just me. I hope so for the sake of the author and the book. Then I put it down and find another glossy cover.
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