tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5742415355016995707.post6075887419336867476..comments2024-03-24T13:49:53.099-04:00Comments on Romance Books '4' Us: It's the Story, Silly, Or Is it?Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5742415355016995707.post-68347370790088554702013-03-25T21:23:37.292-04:002013-03-25T21:23:37.292-04:00Vicki, thank you for posting. I want the same thin...Vicki, thank you for posting. I want the same things you want when I read a novel.Cara Marsihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05384839120633419382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5742415355016995707.post-88542184670723209862013-03-25T12:53:01.883-04:002013-03-25T12:53:01.883-04:00Hi, sweetie! I want a hero to fall for. A girl for...Hi, sweetie! I want a hero to fall for. A girl for him to fall for. Some crazy stuff for them to go through to get there. <br /><br />I just finished a highly acclaimed book and didn't like it at all. I never could visualize the settings. Vicki Batman, sassy writerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13846704675542248648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5742415355016995707.post-75863866942813318602013-03-24T23:32:50.685-04:002013-03-24T23:32:50.685-04:00Thanks, Tess. I feel the same way.Thanks, Tess. I feel the same way.Cara Marsihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05384839120633419382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5742415355016995707.post-22263032443934386072013-03-24T21:20:55.313-04:002013-03-24T21:20:55.313-04:00I think the characters are the most important thin...I think the characters are the most important thing...I can forgo reality and a plot...as long as I'm in love with the characters!!! Great post.theresagrillohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17661468475474989940noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5742415355016995707.post-73172218548837008862013-03-24T17:23:36.510-04:002013-03-24T17:23:36.510-04:00Thank you, Jim, for posting. You make some interes...Thank you, Jim, for posting. You make some interesting points. Many readers loved that trilogy. She told a compelling story. I hope you'll read a few more romances and see they're not merely two people falling in love. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. <br /><br />Thanks, Kat, and you're right. There's not enough time to spend on books that don't move us. Thanks, Nicole. I've realized through many books that I just love the characters. Thanks, Aileen, I agree. You did a little bit of everything. I remember books by their characters more than the plots. And sadly, I remember the really bad books I've read more than the good ones. Sandy, I heard Susan Wiggs give a talk once where she said she judged an entry for a contest. The writer made grammatical errors and some other errors, but Susan loved the story and gave the entry a high mark. Thank you, Sue. You write amazing stories. Thanks, Janice, you're like me in loving character-driven stories.Cara Marsihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05384839120633419382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5742415355016995707.post-8219439554744974862013-03-24T16:43:15.207-04:002013-03-24T16:43:15.207-04:00As a reader, I like character driven novels. I lov...As a reader, I like character driven novels. I love the ones that I fall in love with and want to read all the books in the series, or at least all the books the author wrote.<br /><br />As a writer, I try to write strong character driven stories.<br /><br />Janice~Janice Seagraveshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02576031935823587485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5742415355016995707.post-84451274532249039392013-03-24T15:58:54.494-04:002013-03-24T15:58:54.494-04:00A friend once told me she liked to mark passages i...A friend once told me she liked to mark passages in a book so she could come back and "savor the words." I had just written my first book and I knew even then that no one would want to "savor" my words. But I hope they'll remember my characters and their struggles. If my writing isn't as dramatic and polished as other authors, I'm okay with that. <br /> Sue Finemannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5742415355016995707.post-74960305712011879862013-03-24T13:26:32.897-04:002013-03-24T13:26:32.897-04:00If the characters make me route for them and the p...If the characters make me route for them and the plot is intriguing enough I might not notice the bad writing. I used to judge for the Golden Heart contest and one time I had a badly written entry but I loved the characters and the story, so I gave a higher score than I would have. I explained to the writer why I gave the score I did, and I gave her lots of examples to help her in her writing, but I, also, encouraged her to keep writing.Sandyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01843816981385732033noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5742415355016995707.post-39122293068031540062013-03-24T13:03:15.327-04:002013-03-24T13:03:15.327-04:00I've come to realize I need a bit of both. Wit...I've come to realize I need a bit of both. With an exciting plot and dull characters, I might read and read until I have to do something else, but realize later I have no desire to get back to the book. And I can love a character to death but if nothing is happening I want to strangle the book! I might skip ahead to find out whatever happens in some intriguing point that's been teased. Aha! Maybe that's it! There needs to be some mystery for me to uncover, whether it be why a character is the way he is, or how a couple is going to resolve their conflict, to keep me coming back to the book after I've set it down.Aileen Fishhttp://aileenfish.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5742415355016995707.post-19246121436536512152013-03-24T12:57:07.955-04:002013-03-24T12:57:07.955-04:00What a fantastic post, Cara! I never thought about...What a fantastic post, Cara! I never thought about it much, but I can totally see how this could happen. Loving the characters we write is so important, but at least you realized it. :)Nicole Morganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01361301018108516366noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5742415355016995707.post-29003898880676982022013-03-24T12:15:14.387-04:002013-03-24T12:15:14.387-04:00I can overlook a few flaws in favor of a gripping ...I can overlook a few flaws in favor of a gripping plot twist and characters I love. Life is too short to put up with slick but empty books. <br />Great post Cara.Katalina Leonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04792533045672712045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5742415355016995707.post-82920670728603326042013-03-24T12:13:04.971-04:002013-03-24T12:13:04.971-04:00Yes, it's the story. I'm pretty much a &qu...Yes, it's the story. I'm pretty much a "plot" person. This may be why I am not much of a romance fan ... in romances, nothing ever happens except for two characters falling in love, not much of a plot. I grew up on "Golden Age SF", cardboard characters but fantastic plots. And I've got to say that the "writing" comes in a poor third. I read that trilogy you refer to ... all three books ... and it was such a page-turner that I never even noticed any poor writing. Just depends on what you're used to, I guess.Jim Hartleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08033770381343017153noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5742415355016995707.post-58253898108818322542013-03-24T11:55:37.710-04:002013-03-24T11:55:37.710-04:00Thanks, Liz, Melissa and Tina. You all make great ...Thanks, Liz, Melissa and Tina. You all make great points. I've heard too that there are only so many plots. Tina, you're right that it's the interaction between the characters that sets a story apart.Cara Marsihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05384839120633419382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5742415355016995707.post-23226852939027258702013-03-24T10:21:13.097-04:002013-03-24T10:21:13.097-04:00Actually, I think it's the characters first - ...Actually, I think it's the characters first - they generate interest in the story. I've heard repeatedly that all the plots have already been told. Didn't Shakespeare say that way back when? :) To me, it's the interaction between the characters - the human interest - not the plot or story mechanics that hold a reader's attention. That said, poor writing will kill the best characterization. To me, poor writing is wooden dialogue and coincidence rather than complications in the plot.Tina Donahuehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07160021732404091277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5742415355016995707.post-17027681519214712172013-03-24T09:14:54.740-04:002013-03-24T09:14:54.740-04:00I love to have characters that I fall in love with...I love to have characters that I fall in love with. I can overlook so many other things if I fall for the characters. :)Melissa Keirhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10247037321769755660noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5742415355016995707.post-22452367044762400172013-03-24T07:46:57.226-04:002013-03-24T07:46:57.226-04:00I enjoyed this post. It's what we all strive f...I enjoyed this post. It's what we all strive for, to write well and introduce memorable characters in a cracking good story. Badly written novels tend to put me off, because I'm struggling to get through them and there's better books to read. But if a writer can draw me in and get me to lose myself in the story, then there's a lot I'm prepared to forgive.<br />And we're all learning all the time; I know I've written lousy pieces on occasion, but with experience you learn to detect the dross pretty fast and you can do something about it.Elizabeth Baileyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09407958362024218785noreply@blogger.com