Position:Home>Books & Authors> What makes you enjoy a book?

Do you enjoy long chapters with lots of detail!? And by lots of detail I mean decent explanations of the characters emotions, surroundings, and such!?
A great chapter has an intriguing first sentence that hooks me in, deals with a subject deeply but not so deeply as to ramble on!.and opens characters up to a reader without necessarily giving a shoe size (unless it is germane to the plot, of course!.)!. Too much detail in explanation is not a good thing!.!.The reader's imagination should be working too!.

What makes you fall in love with a character!?
A character resonates if he presents human qualities I can identify with, even if he isn't a nice guy!. (example Dexter Morgan- the psychopathic serial killer in Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsey!.)

Have you ever read one of those books that you just couldn't seem to put down!? If so !.!.!. What made you enjoy that book so much!?
Truman Capote,Steven King, Lee Child,are writers whose work I cannot put down!. They all seem to write in a conversational tone as though we were having an intimate conversation about someone we both care about!. Edith Wharton writes so well, reading her work IS a creative writing class!. Read her short novel Ethan Frome if you want to learn how to tell a story with a minimum of perfect wordage!. Not one out of place or unnecessary word in the book!.also read that book to see how a writer can evoke and elicit emotion from a reader!. That book always touches my emotions and makes me want to cry!.
Another great passage is the dog attack on the station wagon in Cujo by Stephen King!. It is an absolutely, terrifying sequence!. I recommend it to you as a lesson in writing suspenseful, frightening prose!.!.

I ask these questions because I am writing my first book, and I want to make it the best book it can possibly be! In order to do that, I need some tips from good readers, right!? Speaking of tips, if you are a writer, any advice you have to offer is greatly appreciated!

Use a thesaurus!. Do not use the same word twice on the same page if you can help it!. There is always another way to express a thought!.
If a line isn't working, but you like it, try switching it around!. Sometimes that's all it takes to get a great phrase!.
Example:Jake didn't much care for Amy, but his mother did!.
Jake's mother liked Amy, but Jake didn't care much for her!.
Try to keep your sentences to 10-15 words so you don't confuse or tire your reader!.
Create a back story for every character, no matter how minor!.!.!.they become more versatile that way!.
Keep track of your verb tense, don't use infinitives, pick action verbs to keep your reader's interest!. Use yor thesaurus- it is your best friend!.
Example;
Stared, glanced, gazed instead of looked
splashed across his chest instead of written on his tee shirt
hustled,dashed,sped, hot-footed instead of ran
Any action you choose research to be sure you are correct because readers are always checking you out for veracity; if your facts are wrong it really bothers them!.So if you use some strange machine make sure it is feasible, if your character has a profession be sure you describe the work accurately!. The web is full of info you may need!.
No matter how much you love a line, always be ready to cut it out if it does not advance the action!. Cut any line that does not advance the action!.
I hope these thoughts are helpful to you!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

---

---

1)I enjoy a book if I can relate to the story or one of the characters!.
2)I don't like lots of detail- just enough so I get the point!.

3)I fall in love with a character if he/she is honest and has a personality!.
4)Yes a couple, for many different reasons such as the story being captivating, a interesting outlook or something different!.

I suggest making these questions seperate from one another!.
Good luck!
Www@QuestionHome@Com

---

---

If I am enjoying the book it doesn't seem to matter how long the chapters or lots of details are included in the story!.
I never fall in love with a character - I might favour one!.
I've read lots of books that I couldn't put down - the author made me enjoy the book!.
The author is he/she is a really good writer, should know how to keep you in suspense without having a predicable ending! Www@QuestionHome@Com

---

---

i'm not really a reader, but if i DO read, i prefer the true life stories of people who kill or who have been killed!. it just fascinates me to read how the killers get caught!. i love the forensic aspect, and i love reading about the bad guy getting caught & paying for his crime!.
Www@QuestionHome@Com

---

---

when the book has vampires in it

Become a fan of Twilight, more than 280,000 fans!
http://www!.facebook!.com/search_redirect!.!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

---

---

i like chapters/books with a lot of detail!.!.!. only when it fits with the style or idea of the book (i!.e!. usually with older books/classic/books set in older times)!. but sometimes, books are ridiculous overly verbose and it just makes the book a drag to read!. on the other hand, some authors pull off the whole "describe everything in full detail" really well!. it really depends on the writing style!.!.!. if it's written well and smoothly or not!.

usually, i fall in love with characters that i can relate to!.!. or they have to be so endearing that you almost hate to love them!. for example, holden caulfield!.!.!. i think he's so messed up, but he just seems to real and honest, that you can't help but feel for him and sympathize

so many books are so good that i couldn't put it down!. the "first" real chapter book that i remember loving is where the red fern grows (only book that has almost made me cry)!. i was like!.!. in fourth grade and it was probably one of the hardest books i had ever read because of the writing style and the subject it was on but god i loved the boy in the book and his connection with his dogs!. what probably made me love it so much was that it didn't feel like a narrative or fiction!. it felt so real (the way the emotions and scenes were written out)!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

---

---

I don't need LOADS of detail, but I appreciate a little!.
I don't like to fall in love with a character (Edward Cullen POSSIBLY the exception), but I do like to be able to believe in them and relate to them!.
Yes I have found a few books like that!. What made me enjoy the books so much!? Decent writing and a plot/story line that makes me keep wanting to read more!.

Just so you know, I absolutely HATE the boring bits in books - you know the ones, when the author goes on about something totally unexciting!? I do like a bit of suspense, but some authors overdo it!.

Good luck with your writing!Www@QuestionHome@Com

---

---

I am a speed reader!. Sometimes it is a curse!. I read 4 - 7 novels per week!.

The book needs to grab me by the middle or end of the first chapter, or I start losing interest!.

I love characters who are tough, and win over evil!. One thing that will endear me to a character is that her/his flaws are honest and visible!. This brings them closer, because it makes it okay to not be perfect!.

I love a twist!. As much as i read it is hard for me to be fooled, every now and then it happens!.

The last book I finished day before yesterday ended with a victim becoming a hero instead of what normally happens, and that is they become vicitmizers of the innocent; instead he victimized the BAD guys! YeahWww@QuestionHome@Com

---

---

Those are all the same question!.!.!.

To me, the most important part of a book is the plot, followed closely by the subplots!. These must be interesting individually, and must also mix together in an interesting and natural way while contributing to each other!.

Next up is writing style!. Too much detail and I find myself reading words!. Too little detail and the story becomes bland and confusing!. Neither will keep me reading!. The point of view a story is told from is also important!.

The number of main characters can really contribute to a novel!. If there aren't enough to show the entire story and all the character development, I'll find it unpleasant!. If there are too many, I'll likely find the story boring and feel the book is full of distractions, especially if some of those characters don't seem to contribute anything to the central plot!.

Then comes character development!. This is an absolute necessity of any story!. I prefer stories with characters that don't start from scratch!. The starting points from which the characters develop are essential, and having an excessively weak one doesn't encourage me to read a novel!. How the characters develop (gradually or suddenly) is also important!. Typically, gradually is better!. However, there are times when suddenly is more appropriate!.

And, of course, developing the setting matters too!. What is the local landscape like!? What are the local customs!? Too much on this can obviously be unpleasant, but too little can leave a story empty and lacking in depth!.

Sentence structure is also important, along with wording!. Reading "said" twenty times on a page is not enjoyable!. Neither is seeing misuse of "much less" or "never mind" or other other similar things!. And good use of punctuation is very important!.

So there are the basics!. There are so many things that contribute to whether I enjoy a book, but those are the most important!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

---

---