For my fellow readers, most of you know I am working hard to get a book published. Luckily this one seems to be going much better than my last. :) So, I am wondering what book do you really want to read? Maybe I should clarify:
I really hate the whiney girl books. I liked Twilight because it moved fast, but hated that Bella seemed so whiney and agnsty to me. What I really wanted was a strong female character so I started writing one, and so far I am pleased.
What do you look for in a book? I had one lady tell me she would love to read a Zombie love story. That totally cracked me up! One lady told me she wanted to read a book that sounded like it was a normal book but ended up being written by a dog (interesting)
Honestly I would LOVE another series like Harry Potter. I don't think we will have one in my lifetime though. I think JK Rowling world she weaved, with it's intricate details, and complex characters will be nearly impossible to duplicate.
Do you read for characters or for plot? I am more of a character reader, plot is important but if I like a character I am much more likely to follow their progress.
I tend to enjoy books that are about a character overcoming odds and triumphing over disadvantages in the end.
I'm late in responding to this...
What I find super fascinating is a book steeped with accurate history, but someone with writing talent to 'fill in the rest'.
I love old fashioned Taylor Caldwell novels. Or "The Red Tent" where the writer took a basic bible story and embellished it. It makes history come alive to me.
I definitely read for characters although the plot is important too. I love books that have a little bit of everything in it - drama, romance, humor. And I like for my characters to have depth to them due to some adversity they overcame in life. hm...hope that helps!
I love the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. The characters are so strong yet so flawed. Hilarious.
I love character development and the relationship between the characters.
Good luck. Let us know when you're published so we can support your work! :)
J.,
Great Question! I agree with you regarding the Twilight books. Bella seemed like a super whiney wimp that could not stand on her own feet. The books I tend to enjoy are usually with a strong female lead character. I really like historical fiction...anything that transports me to a different time or place, with an awesome lady taking matters into her own hands! I have really enjoyed books by Robin McKinley for that reason. I loved the Red Tent as well and think the whole "Bible stories from a female angle" is interesting. The Dystopia idea is also very popular and intriguing to me.
Good luck with your book!
Haha Mommy of 1 - i just finished Cutting for Stone on the Kindle and at one point- after I'd been reading for what felt like forever - I looked at the status it is said 50% - grrr. I did finish it though and thought it was pretty good.
I'm all about the story and character - it has to be a good mix. My fav so far this year is The Book Thief - I cannot recommend it enough. It was absolutely beautifully written and I cried and cried at the end. Just touched my heart...
Something I hated - hmmm- things with hanging endings. Anything by Jodi Piccoult (sorry - I love her stories but that woman does NOT know how to end a book - I'm always so pissed by the time I get there) stories with weakly developed characters - or too many characters.
I want a story to live in my head...ya know?
Also- massive congrats - what an accomplishment!
I love anything by Janet Evanovich I love that Stephanie Plum is a strong woman and she's hilarious.. I love a book that can keep me turning the page and laughing out loud (literally). Theres SO many people out there doing the vampire/ werewolf thing and it's getting pretty old, zombies would actually be kind of cool, me and my husband have loved watching the walking dead and theorizing on what we would do etc.. good luck!
I loved fiction when I was younger. But now I love true stories, like Unbroken by Lauren Hillenbrand. I identify with characters who have overcome adversity.
I read for plot and characters. I think that Water for Elephants is a great example of the two merged together. Same with Memoirs of a Geisha.
The one thing I hate about some books is reading about too much scenery. I like to hear about it only when it's relevat to the plot and to set the scene and tone of the book.
I also like a book that is on the move.
Books that I didn't like that were hugely popular were:
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - so slow and boring. Ending sucked - not sure why it is so popular?
Cutting for stone - Ugh - Could a book with so much promise move any slower? I got about a thrid of the way and put it down.
Any suggestions for me based on plot and character progress merged togerther to form an amazing book?
I read for the plot and I also have to like the main character. I like a character that I can care about. I've read some books that the main character was awful and I didn't care whether they lived or died. So a good story goes along with a great character. Also the love interest needs to have some flaws, nobody is perfect. Also the story needs a good ending, or a great cliffhanger that will make me want to read the next book.
Good luck with your publishing.
I agree about Janet Evanovich...and just heard that her first book is going to be a movie...One for the money - Can't wait to see the movie. think it comes out in the next few weeks!!!
I'm so with you on the Bella character - I couldn't get past the first book because she was so weak and needy. On the other hand, I really liked Katniss in the Hunger Games series, even though she's not the most likable person. She is strong and caught in a terrible dilemma and you can empathize with the choices she has to make.
I think character is a little more important than plot. I can get quite a long way through a story with a meandering plot as long as the character is interesting. I can't get much beyond the first chapter if the character is two dimensional or unlikable.
I love the Harry Potter series too. I just started reading the first one to my 5-year old. Of course, his attention waxes and wanes a bit. However, his reaction to the third chapter - where Hagrid arrives to take Harry from the Dursleys to Hogwarts - was just magical. He literally grabbed me in a huge hug and cheered wildly when Hagrid appeared - better than any TV show or movie reaction I had ever seen!
Two other great kids' books - The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and A Wrinkle in Time. Great characters, great plots.
They say the best stories begin with a change to the protagonist's situation. That is often why stories that involve journeys work so well. So think about a main character whose life is suddenly thrown into disarray for some reason and the journey (whether literal or figurative) that the character has to take in order to grow and change.
Best of luck!
I can tell you unequivocally what I am sick of reading - violence, particularly extreme sexual violence. Can we just give the whole murderer/serial killer theme a break? Honestly I read for pure pleasure and I prefer historical fiction. I like there to be balance between characters and plot although strong characters can carry a weaker plot. I also agree about lengthy descriptions of scenery. They tend to be tedious and don’t usually add value to the book. I am pressed for time like most people so when I get a chance to read, I prefer books to move quickly. The book that leaves you almost breathless when you finish are such good fun. I have no preference regarding male or female leads. I don’t like the female leads to be like Laura Croft of the Tomb Raider vein, though. Realistic women can be so hard to find in novels. Happy writing.
