Question: What sort of stories do you like to read?
I don’t mean which genre, but the storytelling’s general style. Genre is like saying you like evergreen trees. But the general storytelling style is like saying you like prickly trees with berries, or needled with cones, glossy leaved, or total dullards, and so on…
So, what sort of stories do you like to read?
You’re hesitant. I’ll go first. I like a story that contains a puzzle. I’ll say puzzle rather than mystery, since mystery can have mystical connotations. I like to solve the puzzle along with the protagonist. It makes my brain work.
Now it’s your turn. But let’s take it slowly.
Do you like your story to be fast paced?
You’ve gotta keep reading, page-turning, page-turning, until you reach the end. But then you might experience disappointment because you’ve finished that read. Gotta get another.
Needless to say (oops, cliché, sorry) that’s the type of story that agents, booksellers and publishers like. It’s the most common type on the bookshelves today.
What if you prefer a slower pace?
You want to immerse yourself in the story’s world. You want to identify with the protagonist, feel what they’re feeling, rejoice with them, cry with them, and generally make friends with them. That story takes much longer to read, and at it’s end while you feel satisfied you might feel…estranged. Ah, but look, here’s a sequel.
Such stories do tend to have sequels. Indeed, some might form part of a very long series. Sequels and long series also satisfy the agents, booksellers and publishers.
Maybe you don’t like reading stories that form a series. You could find them annoying. Unable to find the next in the series, you’re in a quandary: do you drop the series and move on, or skip that one?
What if the stories you most enjoy are those that stand out, one of a kind?
A story that in its premise, its protagonist or setting, is unique. Surely that is a treasure, maybe ear-marked to be a classic, given time.
You’re wondering why all my questions.
It’s because of recent watches of videos on YouTube.
I confess, I am obsessed with YouTubers who offer writing advice to we struggling authors. But I’m noticing that advice tends to cluster around just a few issues. Prime of which is “How to make your story a fast-paced page-turner.”
Cos that’s what publishers want.
Publishers do. But do readers?
That’s all for this week. Thank you for reading. And as ever, I’m happy to receive your comments
crispina kemp 
I am very character driven. I need to be able to see and feel as if I know the character, so I appreciate an author that spends that extra time on character development- then what they are doing in the story falls into place for me- in accordance with my understanding of who they are.
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Thanks, Violet, for your response. I hope you don’t hold it against me if I leave my response till end of week (having a busy busy few days!)
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I got nothing but time, girl- please take yours!
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This is what determines whether I’ll finish a book or whether, after a chapter or so I’ll mark it as dnf and move on. If I can’t get with the protagonist in some way, then I don’t want to know
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I, too, am character driven. And I want to immerse myself in the characters’ surroundings.
While I do not seek out series, a couple have fallen into my lap – all thanks to suggestions from Chirp (audio books). I would NEVER have picked up the The City of Dreams trilogy by Joan Fallon. Which I adored. Who knew I would get sucked into the world of Moorish Spain in the 1040’s.
And now, I am on the second book of The Gilded Age Mystery Series by Rosemary Simpson. I bought a bundle from Chirp but now, I know I will become frustrated when I have finished the fifth one as there are five more. Then again, maybe after the fifth, I will be done with them. Or pray that Chirp offers the second bundle at a fair price!! So far, they are wonderful. I am listening to these and the narrator is an huge plus.
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Thanks Dale for your response. I’ll reply properly at end of week. Tad on busy side at mo. You know how it is
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No, I don’t but don’t you worry. I am in no rush 😉
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What I specifically don’t like about series is having to wait for the next book. I’m waiting on three different series at the moment. Obviously, I don’t want to get tangled into yet another. But…
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My one strong preference, which I admit I’ don’t always follow in reading, is that books in a series should be stand-alone. You should be able to read one without having read the others. Now, I admit, I’ve enjoyed some series that break this rule. But it remains an ideal.
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I’d like to reply straight away but, gulp, hellishly busy till then. Please forgive me
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It’s async, as we used to say in high tech. Get to it when you get to it.
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I know what you mean by ‘standalone’ within a series. The attraction is the worldbuilding and the characters, but we don’t want to hold our breath for the next installment.
But that then makes it a serial, not a series
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