An Avid Reader's Thoughts On Books Written

Just My Thoughts

Here you will find what are my thoughts, my opinion, my advise - take it or leave it - from me being a very avid reader. Does not make be an expert, I don't tout being an expert, no one and nothing is perfect except God. I am not perfect, far from it. I accept that and am very okay with that. Hell, in writing this, I'm sure there'll be mistakes, feel free to point them out if you feel the need. I'm okay with that.

Being the avid reader I am, I read every day. I prefer reading over television, though I usually have tv on for the background noise and sometimes I'm doing both. I also read pretty fast. As fast as I read, I still catch many errors in what I read. When I slow my reading, I catch most, if not all.

I am not a writer. Writing is hard work, this I know from a bit of experience. It takes time, commitment, lots of thought. I've done it before, but it's not something I particularly enjoy. It's not something I have patience for. I've written short stories as part of both high school and undergraduate work. I got good grades on them and good feedback for improvement. Did not make me want to become a writer. I've had three poems published in a collection of works long ago. Loved having that, but I still did not have a desire to continue writing. My love is reading. Has been since I was about eight years old. That was over thirty years ago. I've read thousands of books, novellas, and short stories. I've read fantastic works, and I've read works that have made me cringe, so the great, the good, the bad and the ugly, they're all in my experiences of reading.

I have been editing works of some kind or another for years. It has been part of my job, as I had to read what co-workers and employees have written. I've had family members come to me to proof read their writing. I've been teased being asked if I was an English major by those who knew good and well I did not major in that, undergraduate or graduate. And I certainly do not always write or speak in what would be considered "proper" English. Nowadays, what exactly is that really? I remember when "ain't" was considered improper and my parents correcting me if I used it. That said, textspeak is NOT proper English, LOL 😀. Anyway, I am one who cringes when I go back and read something I wrote and find errors. When I write, I try to edit as a go. I've not had the luxury to go back over some things I've submitted and I hate that, especially when I see errors. That's just who I am.

I have actually provided straight editing for a few authors. I have been a beta reader on a few occasions where I've just been asked to read and give my opinion. I've been asked to do both. I am actually moving towards providing editing services for self-publishers and doing so at not so pricey fees. I've not established that yet, but seriously considering it. I've been testing it out to see if it is something I would like doing on a more regular basis. Anywho....as one of my aunt's liked to say, Rest In Peace aunt Gail.

In all my years of reading, following favorite best-selling authors, my short stint in writing and getting feedback on my creations, the good and the needs improvement, and reading a multitude of comments on my favorite book sites like Amazon and B&N that people have written about what they've read, I have thoughts. I've put them here to share.  So if you are a writer, and reading this, again, I say, take it or leave it. 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

- Spelling, grammar, punctuation, sentence structure all around, IS important. A well written story, is more enjoyable. There is no getting around that. Mistakes are made, sure, but if you're putting it out there, try minimizing them, whether it be yourself or through an editor.
- A poorly written story is going to be criticized. A well-written story is going to be praised. You put it out there, be prepared for the accolades, as well as, the criticisms. Professional authors have their work criticized and it is very public and by professional book critics, and by their readers as well. Some criticisms are kindly written and some tear a work apart. Sucks, but be prepared and know it can and/or will happen. Feel however you do about it, then shake it off. Sometimes easier said, but you've got to do it.
- Even if you do not have your story totally outlined and going with the flow, there should be some things to make sure you keep up with. Have it written down and keep handy. It is a distraction, and brings your story down, when you can't even keep up with what you've written:
          *Characters - Their height, weight, hair color/length/texture, eye color/shape, facial features, body type, skin color/tone, age, clothing they have on or don't, and any other detail you put out there to represent them.
          *Timeline - it can't be November 9 in one paragraph, then it is said six weeks have gone by and you then write the date being Dec 1; or your character is 20, you write three years have gone by since and then write they're 22.
           *Plot - You can't have the story going in one direction, then come from nowhere with something else occurring that is way off from what was originally written, just throwing it in there to create some pulled-out-of-your-(beeeeeep) 😄 drama.
- Even in fictional stories, there has to be an element of realism. This is something several well-known, successfully published, best-selling authors I have read commented on. It is what makes the story believable. And that goes for paranormal and fantasy stories as well; for them, you can make the world as you see fit, it is basically all made up, but keep in mind, there are some things that just need a touch of what could be real. You start losing the believability when you go way beyond and just totally out there, if you know what I mean. If you don't, not sure I know how to explain it more.
- Fictional stories based in reality do require reality, I don't care what anyone may have told you when they read yours and it lacked that. When you don't have that, your story loses. Information is at your fingertips. Look it up. Don't know what pregnancy is like, look it up. Don't know stages of development for pregnancy or children, look it up. Don't know how the legal system works, look it up. Don't know medical, dental, police, etc, procedures, look it up. Nothing says ridiculous like writing ridiculousness that so could have been avoided.
- Cliché is so overdone. Find your creative uniqueness that will change it up a bit, even if you are writing a similar storyline.
- Stay away from the 'rinse and repeat'. Same thing happening over and over is not a good thing. Same for having multiple books following the same outline, where the character names have change, but the same things are happening book after book.
- "It's my book" ("It's the author's book", for you reader's who've commented this) does not excuse sloppy, poor, uninformed writing. It does make one look immature to respond with that.
- What is with the attacks on people who point out errors in the story? IT'S FREE EDITING!!! Look up how much it could cost you to have your work edited. Then come back and be appreciative of the FREE editing. If I ever decide to write again, and put it on a site like this, you better believe I'm going to be looking for comments letting me know where errors are so I can fix them. Autocorrect is truly a pain in the you know what sometimes.
- Putting the story on Wattpad turns every reader into a beta reader for you. Take in some of the feedback you get, discard others, and turn your book into an improved, possibly publishable for pay, work! Even if you are writing just for the enjoyment of it, you never know.
- Not everyone is going to like your work, like your characters, like what's happened in the book. THAT'S OKAY! Stop getting so defensive. If you wrote your characters to have less than favorable attributes, why be surprised when people respond to that? It does not mean we don't like your work. People may just simply be having an emotional reaction to what they've read; you've evoked, happiness, sadness, anger, surprise, etc., etc.
- Do recognize when people are commenting about characters or what's happening in the story and not directing personally to you. Again, if you're going to put it out there and you know it is on a venue that can be commented on, you know comments are going to be made. It does not mean your book is not liked, so that response of "if you don't like my book, then don't read it"? Not the most mature portrayal. If they are actual personal attacks, handle as you see fit, but I caution you in what it is you respond with. From what I understand, publishers could be scouting for an author to pick up and you could have been that one, if you had watched what it was you said in response to your reading audience.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Well, that's all I have. There may be more, but I can't think of anything else right now. If I do, I may add to this in the future. You have things you'd like to add? Feel free. Comment it or DM it to me.

I'd also like to say, for most of us who are commenting on books, talking to or about the characters or situation, we know it is not real. Even when we're talking to the characters like they are real. It's like the whole yelling at one's tv or movie screen. Ridiculous? Maybe. But, we still do it, likely because it's fun, or out of exasperation, or just can't help it. Whatever.

Lastly, thank you, all you authors, for writing so we readers have works to read.  Whatever your aspirations are in writing, I wish you all successful ventures in it.