What do you read for?

[Owen]

A comment in the "Best Reviews" thread inspired me to ask this question: What you read for most? The plot (which might include themes & concepts, as well as the action), the characters, or the writing itself?

In my case, I care about the writing and characters almost equally, and am unmoved by plots, as long as the characters are doing something more than talking across a dining table.

What do you look for in a story?

[Micah]

The most important thing for me are ideas.

But not just "huh, neat idea." No, I'm looking for what Philip K Dick described when he said this of good SF: "the conceptual dislocation---the new idea, in other words---must be truly new and it must be intellectually stimulating to the reader…[so] it sets off a chain-reaction of ramification, ideas in the mind of the reader; it so-to-speak unlocks the reader's mind so that that mind, like the author's, begins to create..."

I'm looking for ideas that make me take breath and light my imagination on fire. My mind races with the possible implications of the idea (to the characters, to the world described, to my concept of reality or the future or society or whatever) as I pound through the story to see where the author goes with it.

But for it to work, the ideas must be acted upon through the agency of engaging characters.

Dialog is very important to me. If that rings true, then the characters work. If the characters work, then the ideas are better able to be explored.

[Christina]

Definitely characters. The story must have a nice pace, but I need to have characters that are interesting and multidimensional to really get invested in a story.

[Igzy]

I read for characters and humor for the most part. Action is a close third.

[Sarah]

Characters, setting, story pacing and plot, good theme, and excellent punctuation. ;)

[G.G.]

I'd have to go with characters. I admit I've liked stories with ordinary characters because the plot saved the day but those books are in a category by themselves. If I don't like the protagonist or at least one of the main characters, I'm more likely to DNF.

[Dwayne, Head of Lettuce]

Owen wrote: "What you read for most?"

Characters. If I can't find a character to root for, laugh at, empathize with, worry about (and so on) fairly quickly, I get bored fairly quickly. I tend to like characters that are believable or completely outrageous. Stereotypes and caricatures need not apply.

[Owen]

Thanks everyone!

[[deleted user]]

I like detective novels, military science fiction, action and adventure. There have been exceptions. I've read Jennete Oke's Christian fiction books, Laura Ingles Wilders Little House stuff, and even some books about gardening and country living.

Morris

[L.F.]

The most enjoyable books I've read all involve strong characters dealing with great adversity. It takes both of these elements to make a story memorable, in my opinion.

[A.E.]

Great question. :-) In my opinion everything is welded together. If you don't have a good language, you won't be able to make your characters or your story justice. If you don't have a good story, you won't be able to get your characters the platform to act on as they deserve. If you don't have interesting characters, your story won't be able to reach out.

[Charles]

Plot first, and then atmosphere and characters equally. Genre is sort of irrelevant to me. Everything is an old concept anyway, so I need a fresh take on things usually. I like it when the good guys are bad, and the bad guys are good. I like it when characters suffer, struggle and change. I like it when I have to stop and reread something because OMG DID I REALLY JUST READ THAT WTF.

I like stuff that makes me uncomfortable, too.

[Dwayne, Head of Lettuce]

Charles wrote: "Genre is sort of irrelevant to me. Everything is an old concept anyway..."

Exactly. Nothing we're doing is all that new. It's nearly all borrowed from somewhere. All we really do is try to put a unique spin on an old story.

[Melissa]

I definitely lean more toward character, but I mostly read for both plot and character. One of my biggest pet peeves is reading a story with a fantastic and whimsical plot with a fantastic and whimsical setting, only for the characters to be flatter than the paper they're written on. There's just nothing to them, as if they've been written merely for the sake of having characters. But I've also been frustrated by stories with great characters but a plot that has no idea where it's going (although the latter is something I usually come across more in TV shows than in books). I want plot and character walking hand in hand, without one overshadowing the other.

[Carol]

Melissa wrote: "I definitely lean more toward character, but I mostly read for both plot and character. One of my biggest pet peeves is reading a story with a fantastic and whimsical plot with a fantastic and whim..."

I'm with you, Melissa. I have to be able to identify with characters, they have to feel real - but I also want a plot that gives those characters something interesting to do. You need that to show off the characters fully.

[Riley, Viking Extraordinaire]

Christina wrote: "Definitely characters. The story must have a nice pace, but I need to have characters that are interesting and multidimensional to really get invested in a story."

This

[Owen]

I appreciate all the responses. This is has been enlightening. Thanks!