Have you ever felt betrayed by a book that you've read?
Have you ever read the first book of a trilogy only to have the author leave the main character is dire straits in order to guilt you into buying the next book in the series?
Have you ever wanted to throw those books across the room, shred them like a power-lifter shreds a 3-inch thick phone book?
I have.
As a writer, I refuse to stoop that low, and as a reader, I will NOT buy another book from that author. My stubborn stand doesn't affect the NYT best-selling authors like Nicholas Evans (nope, suicide by horse was seriously wrong), but I like to think this will keep my integrity intact.
A few weeks ago, I beta read a YA for a writer friend. Most of the time, beta readers are simply there to catch the stupid mistakes, and I was good with that. . . until I started reading.
When I'm judging or critiquing, I try very, very hard not to insert my voice or style into the writer's work. I will point out jarring or awkward sentences, slow pacing, and stuff that's out of character or simply doesn't make sense, but I WILL NOT REWRITE ANOTHER'S WORK.
So when I started reading this YA, I realized that, 1) it started very slow, 2) I really didn't care for the female protagonist, 3) some of the same scenes were repeated in the first 50 pages.
1 & 3 can be fixed by cutting, condensing, tightening, etc, but it would take time to do. #2 could be taken care of during the tweaking of the pages simply by altering some word choices. I suggested she cut half of the first 50 pages and move the end of Act 1 a little closer to the beginning, BUT I knew this writer didn't care what I thought because she had a timeline. She wanted it up by July 1.
Fine. I suspected that when I started reading.
The action picks up in Act Two as the reader learns more about the world, the characters and the "situation". Act 2 was everything it should be: upping the stakes.
IMO: The issues at the beginning of the story are minor, easy fixes.
We roll into Act 3-tension builds, personalities are revealed, blah, blah, blah, and the main character heads home through a portal . . .
-- AND FOR ME THIS WAS THE KISS OF DEATH--
and ends up in the lair of the 'bad guys'.
THE END.
So what do you all think? Would you feel gyped, cheated and betrayed by this writer?
I know I have many lurkers who read my blog, and I'm curious, what would you do?
Refuse to buy another book by this author?
Shrug your shoulders and buy the next book?
Would you write them an email, detailing your disappointment?
Or would you simply remain silent and move on to another writer?
Let me know what you think.
Later, Peeps!
That's a no-brainer. I wouldn't read another book by her.
ReplyDeleteI did a beta read for a friend a few months ago and suggested she rewrite the first 1/3 of her book. She thanked me all over the place, said I was right and she would change it, but when she published it, I read it and she didn't make the changes. I just looked at her Amazon rating, and it's awful. I know it's because of that beginning. Why do they ask for a beta read and then not listen?
There would have to be something really compelling about the story to make me buy the next one with that type of ending, and it doesn't sound as if that's the case.
ReplyDeleteI once critiqued a woman who wouldn't even correct misspellings or continuity errors, like on one page her heroine hasn't had sex in six months and the next it was three years.
Empasis on "once" on the critique.
no-brainer. Nope.
ReplyDeleteThere is a "famous" author who has a five book paranormal series. She is/was one of my favorites. I didn't realize the book I picked up was book one of the series until I got to the end. It ended with...End of Book One
The next four books would come out once a year. WTF? I had to wait another year for book two??? No thank you. I've never read the series. Probably won't. I'm not going out 5 years on a book.
This is how LaNora is brilliant. Look at her JD Robb. A new book every six months. AND THEY SALE!
Since I seldom read an entire book, it would make me mad to have finally invested my time only to find that I was required to invest MORE time (and money) to find out how the story ended.
ReplyDeleteIt had better be a damned good story, with rapid-fire sequels available, in that case!
I will comment that when Meg read GNOME (after NUMEROUS edits!!) and she said the story didn't start until 10,000 words into the story--I knew what I had to do, and I did it. I cut 1/4 of a story to tighten the beginning. It had to be done. And yes, I think it make GNOME a better story!
ReplyDeleteEdie--I think we both read the same story! I knew when I read it that she had a 'deadline' and wouldn't listen to my comments. *sigh* though many things about it bothered me, in the end, it isn't the best story that it can be.
Marilyn--I am so glad that I listened to many of your tidbits of wisdom. I might have gone into it kicking and screaming, but in the end I knew you were right!
Cyndi-Oi! I HATE THAT!! The only time that I was that dedicated to an author was J. K. Rowling! And it was so worth it! Any other author or an unknown, it isn't happening!
Jody--uh . . . I know you read GNOME and I thank you for your dedication, even if you didn't read the final version--do you want a copy???
Margaret--
ReplyDeleteI can't read something that has the problems you described. Repetition is lazy--and I thought that was supposed to be from reading a big name author. Glad Queen M straightened me out.
I wouldn't buy another book from that author, and have stopped buying them.
So you caught the suicide by horse too. Only book I've thrown against the wall. My kids thought I was ready for Vinita.