Rule Number One: Don't Bore Your Reader
I picked up a book that I'd heard good reviews about. The cover was cute, the voice engaging. I was totally into the book for about fifty pages...until I figured out the plot.
HEAs are my thing. That's why I read romance. But there are still ways to surprise me and hook me into the characters' lives.
With this book, the author set up a plot that could've been really good with lots of tension and snappy writing but somehow I realized that the whole crux of the plot is a misunderstanding. I didn't buy that the husband was cheating because I didn't see the evidence (could be other craft problems or could just be me).
There was a scene where the heroine is riding with her boss's son (who the husband doesn't know about) in a car and sees her husband drive past with his beautiful co-worker beside him. That's where I stopped reading.
The heroine is worrying about her husband cheating but she just did the same thing he did! Why is she allowed to ride in the car with a hot co-worker but if he doesn it's automatic suspicion of adultery?
Which leads me to...
RULE NUMBER TWO: Don't Annoy Your Reader.
Shortly after that scene I began skipping narrative, looking for a reason to believe that the conflict and tension in the story was real. I hadn't found it a chapter later so I flipped to the end and sure enough, my suspicions had been correct. The husband had always loved the wife and everything she'd been misreading had a valid explanation. Everything was hunky dory.
Was this the writer's fault? I don't know but I'm passing the book on to family members who may like it.
What do you think RULE NUMBER THREE should be?
HEAs are my thing. That's why I read romance. But there are still ways to surprise me and hook me into the characters' lives.
With this book, the author set up a plot that could've been really good with lots of tension and snappy writing but somehow I realized that the whole crux of the plot is a misunderstanding. I didn't buy that the husband was cheating because I didn't see the evidence (could be other craft problems or could just be me).
There was a scene where the heroine is riding with her boss's son (who the husband doesn't know about) in a car and sees her husband drive past with his beautiful co-worker beside him. That's where I stopped reading.
The heroine is worrying about her husband cheating but she just did the same thing he did! Why is she allowed to ride in the car with a hot co-worker but if he doesn it's automatic suspicion of adultery?
Which leads me to...
RULE NUMBER TWO: Don't Annoy Your Reader.
Shortly after that scene I began skipping narrative, looking for a reason to believe that the conflict and tension in the story was real. I hadn't found it a chapter later so I flipped to the end and sure enough, my suspicions had been correct. The husband had always loved the wife and everything she'd been misreading had a valid explanation. Everything was hunky dory.
Was this the writer's fault? I don't know but I'm passing the book on to family members who may like it.
What do you think RULE NUMBER THREE should be?
Comments
I haaate it when I can figure out a plot at the beginning and then the writer does nothing to freak me out, or set me on another path. The ending is predictable and cliche. I wonder how those books get into print really :)
I am with you Jessica :)
Nothing annoys me more than a misunderstanding at the end. I always feel as if I've been had by the author. :(
That's such a good way to put it, Jennifer.
Me either, Terri. And you know, I'm not sure it was done badly or not. It could've just been me. But I don't have time anymore to wade through boring books hoping for something good at the end. It makes me sad to say that though.
Save it and/or find creative ways to splice it in.
~ Wendy
Trust your reader to get it--don't write out every little detail.
Also, don't rely on dialogue tags to show your character's emotions. Show through action how your character is feeling in a particular situation.
Instead of another "don't", I'm going to say a "do": Do make your readers feel the characters' emotions so much that they read instead of sleep.
But annoying a reader is really bad, I agree. I do tend to stop reading stories where characters are being too stupid.
Rule #3...I like what was stated above about trusting the reader and not doing a backstory dump.
Hahaha, Kathy! What a way to turn it to positive. :-)
LOL Sarah. After I read this post I realized I should probably have a "Do" post since this one's in the negative. You're absolutely right. If we don't feel the MC's emotions, then we don't care what happens.
D.U. Very true. No conflict, no story, imo.
Linda, I always think surprise is an effective hook. :-)
I would have put that book down as well.
As for Rule Three, can I get back to you? :o)
Blessings,
Karen
Erica, well said. I think I would've been fine if the character saw the irony in the situation. And maybe she did later...I don't know though. I feel so guilty for not reading more! :-(
Yes, I like that as a rule #3 too. :-)
Karen, absolutely get back to me. :-) Also, I totally think you're right about subjectivity. In fact, I'm not convinced that the writer did anything wrong, craft-wise. I half to wonder if it's just me, you know? Because I'd heard good reviews, so I know other people liked the story alot.
I've partially read several annoying/boring books over the last year. It's rare I don't finish a book, but I bailed out of these.
A major annoyance: When there are too many twists, and I'm ready to say, "the end already!"
Blessings,
Susan :)
There's nothing more frustrating than reading a scene at the beginning of a book, getting invested in a character and starting to like them, only to have them die the next page. FRUSTRATING. Or, better yet, following them through an action packed amazing experience in the first few pages, only to realize it was a dream. HEH.
So yeah...that's where I stop reading.
Great post as always, BQE! ;-)
Rule #3: Assume your reader is intelligent.
Enough said!
I don't have a rule number three--just a ditto on the ones people already submitted.
Glad I'm not the only one who gets annoyed with some of the stuff that's being published out there!
Mine would be: "Don't confuse your reader." I just had to take a book back to the library mostly unread because there were just too many characters, too much going on, and I didn't care to try to unravel it all.
Everyone, I love, love reading your comments! Thank you for chiming in!
I don't care if you make me angry or make my cry, but make me care.
Lynn, skimming is a very bad sign. LOL
Hahaa, Nancy, I have a plot with that in it, though it's not the crux of the story. Point well taken! :-)
Good choice to pass it along. Life is too short to read a book you're not enjoying.