Mama Diaries

Monday, January 4, 2021

IWSG Question of the Month

 



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.




45 comments:

  1. 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.

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  2. Boring, long descriptions do it for me.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm with you. It's hard to read those.

      Delete
    2. CONTACT DR. DAVID NOW FOR SOLUTION TO ALL YOUR PROBLEMS   


      After 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    

      Delete
  3. 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).

    https://fromarockyhillside.com

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    Replies
    1. 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.

      Delete
  4. Interesting 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.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That'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.

      Delete
  5. Happy New Year! Yes, I don't like boring plots, lots of description, or typos.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Those are probably no-goes for a lot of readers.

      Delete
  6. A good question Sherry, I wish you a Happy New Year. Take care.

    Yvonne.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I hope you have a brilliant 2021 for you and your family.

    And 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.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's a challenge to hook a reader right at the beginning. Good authors can do that.

      Delete
  8. Characters that seem to come out of a box just. don't. keep. me.
    I 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.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree. I want characters to be memorable, multi-faceted, and real. Not perfect, boring people.

      Delete
  9. That'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.

    I 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.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 23 books is still a good number. Hope you do get to help more authors with your awesome Operation Awesome!

      Delete
  10. Oh yes! Predictable plot lines. I forgot about that one. Good choice. Happy New Year!

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  11. Happy 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!

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  12. Ooo, 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.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes. It's definitely important to have interesting characters.

      Delete
  13. I'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!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    2. Hi 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.

      Delete
  14. Our lists are identical. I can forgive a lot if I like the characters. Happy New Year!

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  15. Yeah, when they drone on and on and on time to stop

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  16. What 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!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Plot holes are a definitely problem!

      Hope you have a great 2021 as well.

      Delete
  17. Thank you for useful tips.....
    have a great weekend

    ReplyDelete
  18. Uninteresting characters is always the worst
    xx

    ReplyDelete
  19. Happy New Year to you too! I'm definitely ready for it to be better than last year.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I hope 2021 is a big improvement! Wishing you all the best this year.

      Delete
  20. Replies
    1. Those things definitely don't want to make me keep turning the pages.

      Delete
  21. I agree- lots of spelling and grammar errors can make me want to stop reading!
    ~Jess

    ReplyDelete
  22. I 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.

    ReplyDelete
  23. CONTACT DR. DAVID NOW FOR SOLUTION TO ALL YOUR PROBLEMS   


    After 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    

    ReplyDelete
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    ReplyDelete