I also find myself at times reading books and thinking how did this get made!! And then I get inspired because I think, surely I could be a published author one day if this book got published, then I am humbled as I remember that a least that person finished their novel, as I am yet to do…
But, I will say, one thing that does annoy me is when the suspense is just too suspenseful. When I find my self racing to get to the end just to know what happened but not really enjoy the ride I finish the book with a sense of disappointment. The books I adore the most are the ones I try and read slowly, even though I want to know what happens I would rather stay longer with the characters, savouring them.
I love this point, thank you Tansie! And I'm glad I made you laugh. I think - and this is SO hard to remember - that taste, trend and publishing anxiety dictates what gets made - I know so many amazing writers who are looking for representation, and/or not being snapped up in Acquisitions, and I think 'Why? WHY? Oh but the hit of the London Book Fair was a mad filthy shark sex book - so nothing makes sense any more.' But I think knowing what we love and what we hate about a book definitely makes us better writers. My FAVOURITE books are the ones where I wish for an extra five chapters, where we can all just hang out.
My absolute pet hate at the moment is when the plot suddenly turns on a sixpence in the last two pages and you realise that they're planning a sequel. Great, but it's a novel, not a TV series. It has to end well too!!!
It's so cheat-y. And writing good endings is really, really hard. You can't decide you're not going to try! The best books are when you yearn for a sequel, you don't feel as though you're being flogged a sequel.
There’s one book that I often think of and get annoyed about, but then it spurs on my writing. I’m still mad at it, though, despite everyone else loving it.
Oooooh, I know that feeling well! And I'm usually DESPERATE to find someone to agree with me/validate me. As though I'm waving sour milk in front of someone's nose, and shouting 'Smell! See how bad this milk is!' (Taste is entirely subjective, different strokes, a lid for every pot, live and let live, etc etc - but sometimes I do think 'OH, COME ON!')
But you have to feel them out in case they loved it and you’re left questioning their taste. I always find someone else who agrees, though, but it’s all confirmed in whispers (in case the author can hear us - wouldn’t want to upset them) lol
Getting bored at a party, that’s exactly it! And so annoying when a character is obviously holding back about the Bad Thing just because it isn’t Act III yet.
This reminds me of my oddly confidence-boosting experience watching ‘Family Ties’ (the old US sitcom where Michael J. Fox got his breakthrough). It was a perfectly decent show, and clearly successful, but almost every episode had places where I could think of a better joke on the spot. Once or twice I even completely restructured the plot.
Great news about the podcast! It took more than a year, but I had just finished going through your back catalogue. And obviously I want to know what devilry Higgins was up to with the dogs’ hats.
I love that! One day I’ll be reading an interview where you’ll say ‘It all began when I started to rewrite Family Ties…’ I’m so happy to hear you’re listening to the podcast! As for Higgins - you tell me…
There’s nothing worse than a book (or film or tv show) that makes you shout with annoyance! The character tip is especially pertinent I think - if I’m giving something my attention for an extended period, I want to at least want to spend time with - or be weirdly fascinated by - the characters!
Yeah! My definition of 'likeable' is pretty broad. Not necessarily 'I want to be in a group chat with them' or 'I'd trust them to water my plants when I went on holiday' - but someone who is perhaps more fun and less frustrating on the page than they would be in real life. Maybe that's the point!
Well, well done, this post made me laugh!
I also find myself at times reading books and thinking how did this get made!! And then I get inspired because I think, surely I could be a published author one day if this book got published, then I am humbled as I remember that a least that person finished their novel, as I am yet to do…
But, I will say, one thing that does annoy me is when the suspense is just too suspenseful. When I find my self racing to get to the end just to know what happened but not really enjoy the ride I finish the book with a sense of disappointment. The books I adore the most are the ones I try and read slowly, even though I want to know what happens I would rather stay longer with the characters, savouring them.
I love this point, thank you Tansie! And I'm glad I made you laugh. I think - and this is SO hard to remember - that taste, trend and publishing anxiety dictates what gets made - I know so many amazing writers who are looking for representation, and/or not being snapped up in Acquisitions, and I think 'Why? WHY? Oh but the hit of the London Book Fair was a mad filthy shark sex book - so nothing makes sense any more.' But I think knowing what we love and what we hate about a book definitely makes us better writers. My FAVOURITE books are the ones where I wish for an extra five chapters, where we can all just hang out.
You have said this beautifully. This is my view on this too. Awful written books make me want to write better.
My absolute pet hate at the moment is when the plot suddenly turns on a sixpence in the last two pages and you realise that they're planning a sequel. Great, but it's a novel, not a TV series. It has to end well too!!!
It's so cheat-y. And writing good endings is really, really hard. You can't decide you're not going to try! The best books are when you yearn for a sequel, you don't feel as though you're being flogged a sequel.
There’s one book that I often think of and get annoyed about, but then it spurs on my writing. I’m still mad at it, though, despite everyone else loving it.
Oooooh, I know that feeling well! And I'm usually DESPERATE to find someone to agree with me/validate me. As though I'm waving sour milk in front of someone's nose, and shouting 'Smell! See how bad this milk is!' (Taste is entirely subjective, different strokes, a lid for every pot, live and let live, etc etc - but sometimes I do think 'OH, COME ON!')
But you have to feel them out in case they loved it and you’re left questioning their taste. I always find someone else who agrees, though, but it’s all confirmed in whispers (in case the author can hear us - wouldn’t want to upset them) lol
Getting bored at a party, that’s exactly it! And so annoying when a character is obviously holding back about the Bad Thing just because it isn’t Act III yet.
This reminds me of my oddly confidence-boosting experience watching ‘Family Ties’ (the old US sitcom where Michael J. Fox got his breakthrough). It was a perfectly decent show, and clearly successful, but almost every episode had places where I could think of a better joke on the spot. Once or twice I even completely restructured the plot.
Great news about the podcast! It took more than a year, but I had just finished going through your back catalogue. And obviously I want to know what devilry Higgins was up to with the dogs’ hats.
I love that! One day I’ll be reading an interview where you’ll say ‘It all began when I started to rewrite Family Ties…’ I’m so happy to hear you’re listening to the podcast! As for Higgins - you tell me…
Listening to, and recommending! Actually I think a fair chunk of what I've read in the last year is attributable to you and your guests.
There’s nothing worse than a book (or film or tv show) that makes you shout with annoyance! The character tip is especially pertinent I think - if I’m giving something my attention for an extended period, I want to at least want to spend time with - or be weirdly fascinated by - the characters!
Yeah! My definition of 'likeable' is pretty broad. Not necessarily 'I want to be in a group chat with them' or 'I'd trust them to water my plants when I went on holiday' - but someone who is perhaps more fun and less frustrating on the page than they would be in real life. Maybe that's the point!