First of all, I'd like to wish you a very Happy New Year! I sure hope 2021 is a lot better than 2020!
It's time for the ISWG question of the month:
Being a writer, when you're reading someone else's work, what stops you from finishing a book/throws you out of the story/frustrates you the most about other people's books?
Here's my top three things: Boring, predictable plots. Spelling and grammar errors galore. Uninteresting characters.
What about you? What makes you put down a book?
Before I go, I'd like to let you know that I am a guest on the Hands-on Book blog. You can stop by to read how to make marshmallow constellations and learn a little about my newest book, Bubba and Squirt's Mayan Adventure.
I'm with you on spelling and grammar issues. I can forgive one here or there, but when it's clear that no one bothered to edit the thing, I'm out.
ReplyDeleteYep. Totally annoying!
DeleteBoring, long descriptions do it for me.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you. It's hard to read those.
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DeleteAfter being in a relationship with MARTINS for seven years,he broke up with me, I did everything possible to bring him back but all was in vain, I wanted him back so much because of the love I have for him, I begged him with everything, I made promises but he refused. I explained my problem to someone online and she suggested that I should contact a spell caster that could help me cast a spell to bring him back but I am the type that don’t believed in spell, I had no choice than to try it, I meant a spell caster called Dr DAVID So i email him, and he told me there was no problem that everything will be okay before three days, that my ex will return to me before three days, he cast the spell and surprisingly in the second day, it was around 4pm. My ex called me, I was so surprised, I answered the call and all he said was that he was so sorry for everything that happened, that he wanted me to return to him, that he loves me so much. I was so happy and went to him, that was how we started living together happily again. Since then, I have made a promise that anybody I know that has a relationship problem, I would be of help to such a person by referring him or her to the only real and powerful spell caster who helped me with my own problem and who is different from all the fake ones out there. Anybody could need the help of the spell caster, his email: awesomespelltemple@gmail.com or WhatsApp him +2347040654140 you can email him if you need his assistance in your relationship or anything.
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I agree with you on reasons for not finishing a book. And I will have to check out marshmallow constellations (I was just out looking at the sky, which I have a 270 degree view of here).
ReplyDeletehttps://fromarockyhillside.com
I think you were the one who mentioned that it would be good to have the kids identify the constellations in the night sky after making them.
DeleteInteresting characters are so rare these days. What I hate most is the trend of writers having unhealthy morals in their work, as a translator I found a lot of fascist ideas in the works of Americans writers in recent years, I think it is the case of most writers today being uneducated. Moral acceptability of collateral damage is also something American writers support in their work, sometimes even in YA novels, and that is something very much disgusting to me. But I'd say the whole world has lost its moral values in last ten years, especially after Obama and the way he bombed so many countries around the world with the support of other nations. World became opportunistic and lot less humane with him.
ReplyDeleteThat's a really interesting perspective. It is a shame that there is a sense of the loss of humanity. I wonder if things will ever change.
DeleteHappy New Year! Yes, I don't like boring plots, lots of description, or typos.
ReplyDeleteThose are probably no-goes for a lot of readers.
DeleteA good question Sherry, I wish you a Happy New Year. Take care.
ReplyDeleteYvonne.
Wishing you all the best this year as well!
DeleteI hope you have a brilliant 2021 for you and your family.
ReplyDeleteAnd I agree with you. Also for me, the tone and style the writer starts the first few chapters with. Like long explanations and like you mentioned, boring, or spelling errors so early on.
It used to upset me that I didn't finish the book and only read the first chapter, but since I published, I realize how important it is to make sure the reader wants to move to the next chapter. And that its okay for me to put the book down if it doesn't grab me.
It's a challenge to hook a reader right at the beginning. Good authors can do that.
DeleteCharacters that seem to come out of a box just. don't. keep. me.
ReplyDeleteI can forgive such in a TV movie that takes two hours of my life at the end of a tiring day. From a book I require real value if it were to hold my attention.
I agree. I want characters to be memorable, multi-faceted, and real. Not perfect, boring people.
DeleteThat's a pretty good list. There are a lot of repeated themes in children's books, so I imagine it's much more difficult to be original there. Yet authors like you do it! Keep up the great work.
ReplyDeleteI hope your New Year is going well. I only read and reviewed 23 books last year, but my goal for this year is 30. My other goals are to publish another fiction book in 2021, do the Blogging from A to Z Challenge in April, and increase the number of authors helped by Operation Awesome.
23 books is still a good number. Hope you do get to help more authors with your awesome Operation Awesome!
DeleteOh yes! Predictable plot lines. I forgot about that one. Good choice. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteSame to you!
DeleteHappy New Year Sherry! Good to read you my friend! Thanks for coming by my blog. I've been trying to get around to everyone! It's been slow! LOL! I agree with your list!!! Big Hugs!
ReplyDeleteBig hugs back at you! :)
DeleteOoo, marshmallow constellations sound interesting! If a book is boring, I'll definitely be putting it down. But there are several things, which bug me. Characters I don't care about is a huge one.
ReplyDeleteYes. It's definitely important to have interesting characters.
DeleteI'm a pretty forgiving reader, Sherry. I take all the mistakes I observe from reading other authors, and I try to eliminate them from my writing. Your post makes me really miss my second and third grade kiddos. I loved teaching that age, and I had so much fun with them. All the best to you! Give us more Bubba and Squirt!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteHi Louise, I've written two more Bubba and Squirt books which I'm revising. The big thing for me is to get the last one written. If that is completed, then we'll have more Bubba and Squirt books. They're a trilogy.
DeleteOur lists are identical. I can forgive a lot if I like the characters. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteYeah, when they drone on and on and on time to stop
ReplyDeleteYep. I don't want to be bored. :)
DeleteWhat about plot holes? I'd almost forgive a predictable story line, but when characters fall into plot holes (even interesting ones) and never reappear . . . that's when I stop reading. Oh, and that grammar thing too. Fragments can be ok in dialogue, but missing apostrophes (its vs. it's) make me close the book. May 2021 be good to you!
ReplyDeletePlot holes are a definitely problem!
DeleteHope you have a great 2021 as well.
Thank you for useful tips.....
ReplyDeletehave a great weekend
Uninteresting characters is always the worst
ReplyDeletexx
That seems to be a popular gripe.
DeleteHappy New Year to you too! I'm definitely ready for it to be better than last year.
ReplyDeleteI hope 2021 is a big improvement! Wishing you all the best this year.
DeleteBoring slow pace. Long descriptions.
ReplyDeleteThose things definitely don't want to make me keep turning the pages.
DeleteI agree- lots of spelling and grammar errors can make me want to stop reading!
ReplyDelete~Jess
A good editor could really fix those things.
DeleteI haven't read books with bad translations. I guess that could be a problem when it's not in the original language. Things may get lost.
ReplyDeleteCONTACT DR. DAVID NOW FOR SOLUTION TO ALL YOUR PROBLEMS
ReplyDeleteAfter being in a relationship with MARTINS for seven years,he broke up with me, I did everything possible to bring him back but all was in vain, I wanted him back so much because of the love I have for him, I begged him with everything, I made promises but he refused. I explained my problem to someone online and she suggested that I should contact a spell caster that could help me cast a spell to bring him back but I am the type that don’t believed in spell, I had no choice than to try it, I meant a spell caster called Dr DAVID So i email him, and he told me there was no problem that everything will be okay before three days, that my ex will return to me before three days, he cast the spell and surprisingly in the second day, it was around 4pm. My ex called me, I was so surprised, I answered the call and all he said was that he was so sorry for everything that happened, that he wanted me to return to him, that he loves me so much. I was so happy and went to him, that was how we started living together happily again. Since then, I have made a promise that anybody I know that has a relationship problem, I would be of help to such a person by referring him or her to the only real and powerful spell caster who helped me with my own problem and who is different from all the fake ones out there. Anybody could need the help of the spell caster, his email: awesomespelltemple@gmail.com or WhatsApp him +2347040654140 you can email him if you need his assistance in your relationship or anything.
https://www.facebook.com/UrgentEffectiveLoveSpell
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ReplyDelete