What do readers mean when they want a book to 'get to the point'?

[Kindness]

I've heard 'normal' readers say that before but they've never put it into words what it is that is bugging them about a book. Does wanting a story to 'get to the point' mean that a story isn't making them feel enough tension? Or does it mean that they want a writer to introduce a new story question and then answer it in a satisfying way? Or maybe to conclude some story questions that are already hanging? What do they (unconsciously) mean by 'the point'?
Basically, what does this complaint translate to (when looked at with a writer's knowledge)? And, by extension, what is the point of any story?

[Little Ming]

In my experience, it means they are bored. Which in terms of constructive criticism, unfortunately, could mean anything. Not enough tension, no conflict, slow pacing, confusing plot, MC is bland/boring, your writing style is boring, too much info dumping, purple prose, brown prose, etc.

[seun]

Originally Posted by Little Ming

In my experience, it means they are bored. Which in terms of constructive criticism, unfortunately, could mean anything. Not enough tension, no conflict, slow pacing, confusing plot, MC is bland/boring, your writing style is boring, too much info dumping, purple prose, brown prose, etc.

I have to ask...what's brown prose?

[gothicangel]

Originally Posted by seun

I have to ask...what's brown prose?

The shitty kind?

For me, if I'm think 'get on with the story,' it means that I'm in real trouble of forgetting what the story actually is, and very probably going to but down the book soon and not pick it back up.

[seun]

Originally Posted by seun

I have to ask...what's brown prose?

Originally Posted by gothicangel

The shitty kind?

I did wonder.

[brianjanuary]

They mean there's no story. The author doesn't have a good understanding of story structure/story architecture, or starts off with pages and pages of description or backstory, and doesn't get the reader immediately involved with what's going to happen in the story. This is why agents and publishers emphasize the importance of a good hook--hopefully on page one--to draw the reader in and keep him/her wanting to read more.

I've started any number of novel where I've slogged through the first few pages and simply put the book down because nothing is happening. We seem to have much shorter attention spans these days!

[Pat~]

I find when I feel that way about a selection I'm reading, it's usually b/c I get the sense the author is in love with his/her own prose. Usually that translates into too much description or scene-setting (including back story), and not enough meaningful action/interaction.

But then, I'm a poet, and I tend to appreciate the combination of less words, more meaning.

If you are ever told that by a reader, be sure to check out The First Five Pages, by Noah Lukeman.

[cmi0616]

Originally Posted by Little Ming

In my experience, it means they are bored. Which in terms of constructive criticism, unfortunately, could mean anything. Not enough tension, no conflict, slow pacing, confusing plot, MC is bland/boring, your writing style is boring, too much info dumping, purple prose, brown prose, etc.

This exactly. A lot of the times I think it has to do with over-writing a part of the book, which many authors have a habit of doing.

[quicklime]

what ming said--"get to the point" means in the meantime they are feeling like you aren't....too much exposition, boring prose, starting out long before an inciting event, whatever......basically, you lost them. they are bored and their attention is wandering.

[BethS]

It could be low tension or low conflict. Lack of forward momentum. The feeling that the plot is meandering with no particular goal.

Mostly, though, it sound like impatience for the characters to be grappling with the main conflict, instead of getting stuck in thickets of sub-plots, or following wandering rabbit trails.

[GiantRampagingPencil]

Originally Posted by BethS

It could be low tension or low conflict. Lack of forward momentum. The feeling that the plot is meandering with no particular goal.

Mostly, though, it sound like impatience for the characters to be grappling with the main conflict, instead of getting stuck in thickets of sub-plots, or following wandering rabbit trails.

I think this (Insert metaphor less tired than one involving nails and heads here). Plus, a general sense that the sub-plots or main plot isn't progressing towards a resolution any time in the foreseeable future. A real danger for door-stoppers, I've noticed.

Plus, IMHO every scene should have a function. Revealing character, advancing the plot, or establishing setting and atmosphere. If it doesn't follow this rule, you aren't getting to the point.

[Buffysquirrel]

Funnily enough, I have had this response many times, but I'm now blanking on what triggered it. Probably too much backstory.

This, from the person who yells *get on with it*. You'd think I'd be able to help.

[Arkie]

A few years back, in a moment of weakness, I became determined to like Science Fiction. Not knowing much about the genre, I thought I would make a selection from a local bookstore shelf by how good the cover looked. And Science Fiction books do have beautiful covers. I lucked out because the book I chose also happened to have been written by one of the biggies, the prolific one who wrote 700 page doorstops.

I began reading: a three-wagon train was coming from somewhere and going somewhere (the destination not clear), and in the first 15 pages nothing was clear. Then a remarkable thing happened, the author changed viewpoint, the wagon train continued for another 15 or so pages, then again the author changed viewpoint and the wagon trained continued for another 15 pages with stops for meals, etc., guards out, but guards for what?

Eventually, on page 55 the wagon train was attacked by two eagle-like creatures--raptors--with some kind of electronic guidance system. It was not clear who sent the raptors but it didn't matter because the wagon train party had people who could shoot and with bows and arrows shot them down. The excitement was over in one page, and the wagon train continued, and continued and continued. I learned the secret behind 700 page door stops: just repeat yourself. I eventually gave up at page 75, gave the book to my son, who pronounced the book a good read.

Another book, a murder mystery, set geographically in an area with which I am familiar, was chosen because the author was local and it was on my local public library shelf. I was on page 155 before the murder took place. The initial info dump was so extensive there was no mystery who the killer was, except the local sheriff didn't know and couldn't come to grips with it; although everyone including the local preacher were accurate informants. Since I already knew the killer, I thought I couldn't stay with it until the sheriff figured it out, so I gave the book to my son, who pronounced the book a good read.

[Mandiloo322]

In my experience "get to the point" always means boredom.

Usually the characters are stalled - there may be a conflict, but the characters are bickering pointlessly instead of doing something. Or there isn't even a conflict and the characters are literally doing nothing - perhaps they are telling me back-stories I will need on page 200, if I make it that far. Whatever is on the page, it's not enough to hold my attention.

[Layla Nahar]

Well, I'm reading a very long book I had read *half* of the book before the heroine was finally at risk. I wish she had gotten to the point about 100 pages earlier at the least.

[Kriven]

Too much detail unrelated to the central plot. The prose has meandered in the scenery for too long, or the author has done silly little things with their characters in order to seem more "real" that take up more time than the reader wants to invest.

[Arch Stanton]

It could mean a few things, but they are all usually remedied by good writing. If your writing has a nice rhythm people can be led along for quite a while before anything happens. And "anything happens" can be all sorts of things, not just an important plot point or sequence.

I downloaded an E-book a few months back that bored me to tears. The intro was a guy waking and going downstairs to meet his young son and wife for breakfast. I don't think it was the situation that bored me, but rather the writing. The dialogue used too many names and didn't seem natural. There were too many details I didn't care about. Sure, nice family. But give me a detail that conveys meaning. All you need is one sentence on a page to be effective, IMHO. Something of note, anything. A line of dialogue, a certain physical trait, a funny joke, whatever. Just give me a line that moves me, whether hate, disgust, joy, sadness, curiosity, etc. The first chapter in this book did none of that. I don’t need stuff to happen constantly, but I do need something to happen inside my mind and heart while reading.

[amschilling]

Agree with Ming and quicklime: It means the author has bored me. They've given me five pages of description about a tapestry that never appears again, 100 pages of a character that does nothing, or just in general took too dang long to tell me what the story was *about.* Either that or they've taken something that should have been resolved in two pages and made an entire novel out of it.

[Debio]

I'm going to agree with pretty much everyone here. I have heard this from people who read for me. I ramble a lot in my stories. It is pretty much a given that a first edit will cut 30% of the words without even touching the story itself.

If a reader says this, it is near 100% that something is boring them. Find it, kill it and remove it.

[CharacterInWhite]

Every story has a point to prove.

In the context of novels, you can have multiple stories--and therefore multiple points to prove.

"Getting to the point" means that every word of every scene of every chapter must contribute to at least one of the points you set up in the first few pages. Any scene--and I mean any scene--that does not actively contribute to the statements you are trying to make, is a waste of space. The only exception to that is a scene that proposes story questions, in which case, keep referring to that scene to make sure the one(s) that follow will address the points raised.

[sunandshadow]

I'd interpret "get to the point" as the book trying to milk one mystery or other question for too long instead of answering it and introducing a new one.

[Kitty27]

For me,it means let's go!

I cannot wait five chapters to get to the main event,etc. I want to see things popping off from the first page. I understand pacing but I get very bored when a writer does so at a glacial pace.

I understand and accept a bit of backstory. But then I want things to start rolling. If I really love a writer or like the way they use words,I will stick with the story,though.

[Mharvey]

Originally Posted by Kindness

I've heard 'normal' readers say that before but they've never put it into words what it is that is bugging them about a book. Does wanting a story to 'get to the point' mean that a story isn't making them feel enough tension? Or does it mean that they want a writer to introduce a new story question and then answer it in a satisfying way? Or maybe to conclude some story questions that are already hanging? What do they (unconsciously) mean by 'the point'?
Basically, what does this complaint translate to (when looked at with a writer's knowledge)? And, by extension, what is the point of any story?

"Get to the point" is reader speak for "I have no idea what's wrong with this book, but there's something wrong with it and I'm bored." If several readers agree, try to find a way to inject some stakes/conflict/tension that's interesting and keeps the story moving forward.

[Arcs]

If someone/something mentions that X is scary/fun/dangerous/whatever, but the book doesn't get to X or deal with sub-plots of X in a tidy fashion, it has probably taken too long.

That is what meaning I take from the statement "get to the point."

[DeleyanLee]

As a reader, I don't say "Get to the point." I say "Will you kiss the girl and get on with the fight? PLEASE?!?"

I think that explains the problem a lot better. My experience is that the author (or movie or TV show or whatever) is dicking around with something other than what I'm interested in--usually the main conflict.