In this edition of “Ask the Readers,” I would like to know what you do when a book you are reading is letting you down. Maybe it wasn’t what you thought it would be from reading the blurb on the back of the book, the writing is terrible, or it’s just not entertaining. Whatever the reason, sometimes a book lets us down.
What do you do when this happens to you?
Are you the kind of reader who says that life’s too short to waste time on a book you are not enjoying? If so, how long do you give it before you stop reading that book in favor of another that may be your next fave? What is it about a book that will turn you off to the point of abandoning it for another?
If you’re the kind of reader who, once you start a book, you must see it through to the end, what do you do when a book just isn’t very good? Do you keep reading normally, waiting for it to improve, or do you start skimming so as not to prolong the pain?
This inquiring writer wants to know. What do you do when a book lets you down?
Ben Waggoner says:
I’m as much in both camps as can be possible, I think. I agree, “life’s too short …” At the same time, I think I can only recall abandoning a handful of books due to their lack of literary content or poor editing. I have forced myself to finish a *number* of books of equally low caliber because I made the conscious choice to learn from them, even if it was merely to discover what it was about the author’s storyline or style that caused such a visceral dislike to erupt within me, so that I could strive to avoid doing the same in any of my writing, to any of my readers. Or, to remind myself how important proofreading is by noting how many misplaced homophones and dangling participles I stumbled over, or to see how the author resolved the POV character’s conflicts within a plot line that *could have been* interesting and enjoyable to read had it not been for his nearly (but not quite) unreadable voice. Therefore, I’ve done both. I can’t promise that I’m going to stick with one or the other for the next set of bad novels I read.
Donald Jay says:
Thanks, Ben. I find poorly written novels provide good experience as well. I rarely abandon a book because of poor grammar, structure, POV, etc. I can usually look beyond that. But of the story is not holding my interest, or worse is turning me off, then I stop and move on to the next book. Foul language that adds nothing to the story or the character will also make me put a book down.
Lori Lee Palmer says:
Hi Don –
I have to finish a book once I start it, even if I don’t like it. This doesn’t happen often, as I know what I like. I’m in two book clubs and we occasionally have selections which are outside of what I would pick for myself. I keep reading so I can discuss the book.
Donald Jay says:
Thanks, Lori. I recently had that same experience. I’m in a book club, and the book chosen was actually depressing. But, I read it through until the end, because of the book club and my desire to be able to talk about the book.