Book closers?

Status
Not open for further replies.

BethS

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Dec 21, 2005
Messages
11,708
Reaction score
1,763
Clunky writing.
Cheesy dialogue.
Little to no conflict, or no interesting conflicts.
Characters I can't like.
Graphic torture/cruelty
 

jjdebenedictis

is watching you via her avatar
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jun 25, 2010
Messages
7,063
Reaction score
1,642
Just recently, I closed a book because it decided to be abruptly, grossly racist. Page 93, and oh look--the book's very first brown guy (the book mentioned his "brown face" specially, 'cause that's so important to character, apparently) has appeared, and of course he's a Muslim terrorist who pistol-whips old men and worships Satan. Because golly, why wouldn't he be? **sound of JJ slamming book closed, followed by outraged cussing**

But that's rare. Usually I close a book because it's boring me.

I might give up on a book for any of the following:

- The plot isn't going anywhere
- The plot is going somewhere I can predict from page 4
- The plot is going somewhere I really, really don't want to go

- The protagonist is boring
- The protagonist is not boring but won't shut up about boring stuff
- The protagonist is not boring but very, very easy to hate

- The writing is bad
- The writing is beautiful but the story is bad
- Good grief, did the editor die unexpectedly or something?
 
Last edited:

J.H. Stevenson

Great Scott!
Registered
Joined
Jun 15, 2013
Messages
17
Reaction score
3
Website
fourthperson.wordpress.com
Almost all of the above, for sure. The worst for me is a thriller where a character is introduced, given a pathos-saturated backstory, and killed horribly on the next page.
 

DennisB

Banned
Joined
Jan 29, 2010
Messages
397
Reaction score
22
Location
Frankfort, Indiana
I, too, really hate inaccuracies, and I hate implausible characters (yes, this means you, Jack Reacher). I just can't grow an emotional attachment to someone who seems so far out in left field.

Also, while I'm not necessarily looking for literary works, the writing must show command of the English language. A lengthy series of short, declarative sentences (apparently designed to startle, or something) is a huge yawner.

Spelling errors (especially its vs it's) are a big no-no. (I opened nine Kindle books yesterday and found such errors in the first graph of two of them. Arghhhh!!)
 

chompers

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Oct 19, 2013
Messages
2,506
Reaction score
384
I, too, really hate inaccuracies, and I hate implausible characters (yes, this means you, Jack Reacher). I just can't grow an emotional attachment to someone who seems so far out in left field.

Also, while I'm not necessarily looking for literary works, the writing must show command of the English language. A lengthy series of short, declarative sentences (apparently designed to startle, or something) is a huge yawner.

Spelling errors (especially its vs it's) are a big no-no. (I opened nine Kindle books yesterday and found such errors in the first graph of two of them. Arghhhh!!)
I once read a book where it was filled with all kinds of spelling and grammatical errors. And no, it was not self-published. It was painful reading. But apparently my brain was able to get past it and read it for the story itself.

The strangest thing though was the back had a picture of the author and editor together.

But yeah, made a note never to approach that publisher.
 

Kerosene

Your Pixie Queen
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Apr 29, 2012
Messages
5,762
Reaction score
1,045
Location
Las Vegas, Nevada
Terrible writing.
Terrible storytelling.
Lengths of description that does nothing for story.
When I have no idea where the story might head--in a bad way.
Nothing happening in the first chapter.
Dead, dull, or otherwise boring dialogue.
Purple.
Stumbling grammar, especially in the first sentence.
"Camera" characters--only Fitzgerald can do that.
Reactive/passive characters.
Dialect in the form of chopping up words like the author replaced all "and"s with "an" in first person--great way to make me never want to read any of that author's work.
 

Wilde_at_heart

υπείκωphobe
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 12, 2012
Messages
3,243
Reaction score
514
Location
Southern Ontario
When there are obvious flaws in the plot. e.g. Hunger games, the capital has the ability to make dogs out of nothing but they still the districts to keep them going.

I couldn't get far enough in to see if there were any plot holes. The whole premise seemed silly to me.
 

Mr Flibble

They've been very bad, Mr Flibble
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 6, 2008
Messages
18,889
Reaction score
5,029
Location
We couldn't possibly do that. Who'd clear up the m
Website
francisknightbooks.co.uk
Being bored, mostly

Sometimes (often) I can see it's a good book just not for me.

Other than that, and given almost all my books are bought in bookshops (so not self pubbed). And I get riled a fair bit

Cardboard characters
Characters I don't care about, even if well developed (personal taste)
Clunky writing
Overly verbose style, where it takes two pages to describe a cliff
Stupidly staccato style for the sake of it, and I can't get a sense of anything, or writing like it's a cartoon.
Female characters there to only cry/be saved by the Hero's manly, manly, man-love (esp if she is being seriously abused, but this man love makes her forget all that, like it never happened. When they've spoken two words to each other, while she's still getting the whatsit knocked out of her. Sorry, recent book), or be evil/fridged at the end purely so the hero can angst a bit more. Basically stupid/unrealistic/ patheic female characters for the most part (unless you have a really good story reason for none of them)
Characters who are stupid for the sake of the plot, rather than that is who they are
Ten billion characters, who I can't remember.


Boredom is the big killer though. Mind, I am hard to please in that regard...I hate al my own characters...
 

rwm4768

practical experience, FTW
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 12, 2012
Messages
15,472
Reaction score
767
Location
Missouri
Wow, a lot of us are picky.

For me, it's really just one thing. If the book is boring me, I might close it. I can forgive all kinds of other inadequacies if I'm enjoying the story.

I will admit that purple prose can be a major turnoff.

But things like telling too much (instead of showing) or slightly clunky writing won't lose me if I'm still enjoying the story. I care much more about the story being told than I care about the writing itself.
 

Mr Flibble

They've been very bad, Mr Flibble
Kind Benefactor
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 6, 2008
Messages
18,889
Reaction score
5,029
Location
We couldn't possibly do that. Who'd clear up the m
Website
francisknightbooks.co.uk
But things like telling too much (instead of showing) or slightly clunky writing won't lose me if I'm still enjoying the story. I care much more about the story being told than I care about the writing itself.

If I'm enjoying a story I won't even notice this stuff

But I'm less likely to enjoy it (and therefore put it down) if this stuff occurs. Sometimes it ruins an otherwise good tale. A great story badly told is not fun.
 

Nina Kaytel

I spell Gray with an 'E''
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Oct 6, 2013
Messages
646
Reaction score
58
Location
I have high-speed internet.
I once read a book where it was filled with all kinds of spelling and grammatical errors. And no, it was not self-published. It was painful reading. But apparently my brain was able to get past it and read it for the story itself.

The strangest thing though was the back had a picture of the author and editor together.

But yeah, made a note never to approach that publisher.

I recently read a widely popular series, there is even a show of it, where the last two books had grammatical errors, spelling, and continuity problems. I thought WTF happened. I'm still to mad to buy the final book.
 

wonderactivist

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 14, 2010
Messages
2,739
Reaction score
519
Location
Great Plains
Website
luciesmoker.wordpress.com
Just recently, I closed a book because it decided to be abruptly, grossly racist.

Wow, I've never seen that. I would have closed it too. I have seen many, many weak females who need saving: boring stuff. I think that's a common thread here.

All of these book closers are so eye-opening. I will likely print out this thread and put it up in my office .

Keep em coming.

Lucie
 

virtue_summer

Always learning
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Oct 22, 2005
Messages
1,325
Reaction score
184
Age
40
Location
California
Bad writing. Recent examples:

  • One book drove me bonkers because the writer was so fond of exclamation points. Like really! She loved, loved, loved that mark so much it appeared on every page. Multiple times!

  • Or when the author tagged every single line of dialogue, even when there were only two people in the scene. So an example would be like:
"Hello," Richard greeted.
"Hi," Larry said.
"Did you get it?" Richard asked.
"Not yet," Larry told him.
"But we need it," Richard insisted.
"That's true," Larry agreed.
"So get it!" Richard yelled.
Don't do this, okay? Just don't. And if you insist on doing it then at least take the advice to use said.

Another peeve: Having characters give long speeches about political, religious, or other kinds of issues that have very little to do with the story, throughout the entire story. I don't mean the character gets riled up in one instance and goes on. I mean every couple of chapters the plot and character issues are sidelined so the author can have the character wax philosophical or pontificate on something that's obviously the author's pet issue. If you're not going to focus on telling a story then don't tell a story. Write an essay.
 

folclor

Left-Handed Writing Fairy
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jun 20, 2013
Messages
390
Reaction score
34
Location
Alberta
Website
www.angrypossumpublishing.xyz
Aliens show up in chapter 14.

I'm tempted to write a book wherein aliens show up for chapter 14 in order to have some tea and cookies and then leave taking the MC's dog which results in the rest of the book being a quest to save the dog. Either that or no one remembers the dog after that.
 

Lyra Jean

Two years old now.
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 10, 2005
Messages
5,329
Reaction score
794
Location
Boca Raton - Mouth of the Rat
Website
beyondtourism.wordpress.com
I recently read a book that took place in Britain around the 1850s or so. I love reading about that time period and ya know America wasn't the only with slaves. I was reading it to see how slavery was portrayed in Britain.

I was saddened by this story. The MC had no backbone and not only did she not grow but I felt she regressed a bit if that is possible. Also it ended up not being a good story but felt like a political diatribe on how evil slavery was. Um yeah, I know slavery is teh total evil that's why we got rid of it. So her book was a soapbox.

Don't be a soapbox. Also I don't read anything by her anymore.
 

juniper

Always curious.
Requiescat In Pace
Registered
Joined
Mar 1, 2010
Messages
4,129
Reaction score
675
Location
Forever on the island
* Historical Inaccuracies ... If your novel is set prior to the 1920s, don't have your heroine wearing panties. (They did not exist!)

OT but - what did they wear instead? Or did everyone go commando under all the outer clothes? :e2moon:

"Camera" characters--only Fitzgerald can do that.

What do you mean? Don't think I've heard that term before.

~~~
I think I was in my 30s before I realized I didn't have to finish a book I'd started. Before that, even if I was mostly skimming, I went to the end of every book. I don't remember which book it was that caused me to think, "Hey, I don't have to finish this!"

For me now, boring stories, too much violence, too little action, writing that tries too hard to be clever - those things pop into mind.
 
Last edited:

rwm4768

practical experience, FTW
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 12, 2012
Messages
15,472
Reaction score
767
Location
Missouri
I thought of another one. Characters I just don't like. When I'm reading a story and feel no desire to root for any of the characters, I am likely to lose interest.
 

Canton

A tethered mind
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Oct 3, 2013
Messages
448
Reaction score
94
Location
Right here
at least take the advice to use said.

Bingo. I trudged my way through a whole book where I actually found the plot fascinating enough to keep following. But the author hated the word 'said.' Every statement was full of the character gesticulating. Maybe 'said' appeared on every 40th page. It was terrible, and now I check stories for this ahead of time.

But what has made me put down a book - two things. One had alternating POV scenes and the other POV was just terribly uninteresting and unnecessarily long. The other story I put down, I was 50 pages into it and realized, I detest the character I'm following. So I took him out by closing the book.
 

Brightdreamer

Just Another Lazy Perfectionist
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Apr 22, 2012
Messages
12,977
Reaction score
4,514
Location
USA
Website
brightdreamersbookreviews.blogspot.com
When there are obvious flaws in the plot. e.g. Hunger games, the capital has the ability to make dogs out of nothing but they still the districts to keep them going.

I figured the dogs were supposed to be some form of solid hologram; in the movie (which the author helped adapt, so it obviously fit with her vision for the world), it was implied that the arena, at least, was a large hologrid, which was how they controlled the Games. They were real enough to kill you, but not real enough to eat.

Also, at least part of the reason for the District system seemed to be a deliberate effort to keep the populace divided and distracted (and overworked.) How much was because the Capital needed the resources they provided, and how much was to keep the people busy - and unlikely to amass enough power and food and weapons in one place for a viable rebellion - isn't said. (But, then, I haven't read Book 3 yet.)

As for what makes me stop reading a book, a few quick ones:
- Terrible spelling/grammar
- Annoying writing style (obtrusively slang-filled or trying too hard to be flowery and Literate, for instance)
- Characters I don't like
- Nothing whatsoever is happening
- Things are happening, but I can't figure out what or why, let alone whether or not I should care.
- Authors who seem to think I'm even more dumber than I am.
 
Last edited:

gothicangel

Toughen up.
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Nov 29, 2008
Messages
7,907
Reaction score
691
Location
North of the Wall
This is purely subjective (and plenty of people will disagree with me), but I strongly dislike what you can call 'page-turning' style. I like to read (especially in HF) writing that is evocative and textured. If I'm reading about Anglo-Saxon Northumbria I want to feel it, taste it, touch it.

Another peeve is boy's own antics. I'm following a Roman HF series, and didn't mind it in the first book as the MC was 16, but as the book is moving on I feel that the action sequences should be maturing more. At the moment I just can't see the MC becomes this great Roman general and Emperor. I hope that changes in the next book.
 

Kerosene

Your Pixie Queen
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Apr 29, 2012
Messages
5,762
Reaction score
1,045
Location
Las Vegas, Nevada
What do you mean? Don't think I've heard that term before.

When the narrator/POV character has a very small story and their greatest purpose is to watch the real MC of the story (this also mixes with the passive/reactive character trait). The Great Gatsby was about Gatsby and not Nick, but Nick was the narrator with a bit of a story and he was completely overshadowed by Gatsby. The reason why I say only Fitz could do it well is because Nick and his purpose were designed so perfectly it fit the story so well. I've actually tried writing this, and I kept running into problems after problems.
 

Becky Black

Writing my way off the B Ark
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 15, 2010
Messages
2,163
Reaction score
176
Location
UK
Website
beckyblack.wordpress.com
Mostly I would not finish a book simply because I was bored by it and didn't actually care what happened to the characters in the end. It won't often be one specific thing, more a combination. I remember and I realised I hadn't picked it back up for over a day, even though I'd broken off reading it when the heroine had just been shot at! That told me I didn't give a rats ass what happened to anyone in the book, so I dumped it.

Just full on stupid mistakes can do it too. I was reading a category romance of the sexy sheikh variety once and early in the book the Arab hero was described as looking like "Lawrence of Arabia." ::facepalm:: It wasn't even his clothes or something the writer meant. I'm not expecting some kind of in-depth picture of life in the Middle East in a sheikh romance, but if the research hasn't gone even as far as watching Lawrence of Arabia, with a white, blue-eyed, blonde dude in the title role, well I think that's cutting a few corners too many...

It had already had plenty of "As you know, Bob..." dialogue and such nonsense. This was just the last straw to turn it into a wallbanger by page 30.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.