Comments on: It’s Not Your Book… It’s Me

By: Lacey

Lacey — Sun, 07 Oct 2012 02:15:43 +0000

You make an excellent point, Nicole. I tend to give authors I’ve enjoyed a little more leeway, too, unless the characters really push my buttons, or the plot isn’t what I expected and I know I won’t enjoy it at all if I persevere. But yeah, a slow start by a favorite author isn’t enough to get me to put the book down.

By: Nicole Luiken

Nicole Luiken — Sun, 07 Oct 2012 01:50:41 +0000

If I hit a slow spot (or the main characters annoys me), I’ll ‘punish’ the book by picking up another (fiction) book in the meantime. I may or may not pick up the first book again.

If it’s by an author that I’ve enjoyed books of in the past, I’ll usually give a slow-starting or ambivalent book more of a chance. Sometimes books do pick up in the second half.

However, as a stay-at-home mom/writer I *do* have more time to read than many others.

By: Jeffe Kennedy

Jeffe Kennedy — Sun, 07 Oct 2012 01:36:29 +0000

at this second-half of my life point in time (eep) I don’t want to spend my time reading anything I don’t love!

By: Lacey

Lacey — Sun, 07 Oct 2012 01:32:29 +0000

I really like your rule. I’ve seen similar ones based on page count (give the book 50 pages, or 80, or 100, etc. and then put it aside if you’re not enjoying it). My problem has always been that the ultimate reasoning whether or not to put the book aside at that point seemed so arbitrary. What if I think it’s just okay? Do I continue because I’m not hating it?

Now, putting a book aside if I’m not loving it seems much more up my alley. Sure it’s still arbitrary, but it’s a measure I can get behind. Thanks! I think I’ll try that.

By: Jeffe Kennedy

Jeffe Kennedy — Sat, 06 Oct 2012 20:32:27 +0000

I’ve implemented my 25% rule. If I don’t love the book by 25% in, I get to put it aside forever. But I do commit to that first 25% (I figure that’s Act I, or should be), to give the story a chance to woo me. After that, I know if I want more dates or not.