Kids/Teens Book Club discussion
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That's sweet! OKay, here I go....Books, for one, need to have a good hook. Like, they can't just start out "And Susy went to the store today." It needs to be exciting, "Susy went to the store today, but her entire town was infested with zombies (not amazing, but you get my point). ALso, they need to be exciting. They can't drag all that much or I'm liable to put them down and stop reading them.
I don't mind it as much as I used to, but excessive cursing (unless the author is trying to get a point across with that character). AND cardboard characters (*cough*Bella Swan*cough*).
I gravitate to YA and MG books, but I (personally) will read just about anything if it sounds intriguing. (I know, SO much help on your part. :) hahah) But the characters have to be, in some way, relatable. They can't live in a perfect world and all be Mary Sue's- again, give them depth.
Rebekah, West Virginia,USA
Books that capture my attention are books that either immediately start with action or they have a really good beginning that hooks me immediately.Things that turn me off is boring rambling and confusion. When a books starts to confuse me I immediately stop reading it.
I like my characters relatable to my age but unusual. I mostly like it when they're one of the odd balls that everybody kind of stares at weirdly. (Very much like myself.)
Personally, I'll read anything fiction. As long as it's not horror, romance(like the mushy stuff in soap oprahs), and non-fiction I'll read it.
Oh and I'm okay with cursing as long as it's not the F word.
Hope you have good luck on your book!
Allie, Colorado, USA
I like Books that have dialogue. It really bugs me when there are pages and pages decribing appearence and setting. I like when the charectors aren't pefrect, also the closer to my age the more i can understand their problems and life.
I dislike it when charetors swear. I also don't like too much battle, goryness, and inapproite things(i think you'll understand that).
God bless and have fun
Elizabeth Illinois, USA
To capture my attention, a book needs to have a strong voice. A narrator who isn't overbearing but knows how to tell a story, and with some humour. Also there has to be something in the first few chapters to get me interested, rather than just introducing me to the characters and concept (which is usually ALL the first three-ish chapters do).Something that drives me ABSOLUTELY BONKERS (and I have actually quit reading books for this) is bad dialogue. Like Lizzy said, I like my dialogue, but not when it's unrealistic. For example, one book I was reading, the characters had just met, and they were practically spilling their life stories to each other. All in one bit of dialogue. I don't mind finding out things about characters later on, if it stops the dialogue from being dialogue vomit.
All I really want in a main character is for them to not be annoying. I hate the "my life is totally a cesspool of doom" characters. That gets old on page 10. Other than that, relatability and age and such don't really matter.
And... Nothing else. :D Best of luck, Jess!
Taylor, Arizona, USA
I wish I got to do projects like this, although I get that it's a really big deal. I don't know if it's allowed, but if it is, maybe you can post some of your book on here (when it's written) so we can give you feedback.I personally think that one of the most important things is being realistic-not everyday but believable. (A dragon attack can be realistic, if you're careful) This means that in dialogue, the characters have to say things that someone of their age, religion, culture, social class, gender, etc. really would say in that situation.
The main character also can't be too unusual, because otherwise it doesn't feel real and you're bored. On the other hand, there has to be something that sets them apart and makes the story work. That could be something as simple as working in a specific store, or as un-simple as having newly-found magical powers (although you have to be careful with those). And yeah, I agree with what Taylor said about the main character being annoying. Why do you want to spend a whole book in the mind of someone who drives you crazy?
Relatability is necessary, but not in the way that is often meant-I don't care if the main character is a 14 year old girl from just outside of NYC or a 70 year old vulcanologist, what matters is if there's something about the character that makes me understand and care.
I hate it when the author bores you in the beginning of the book, and when they decide they need to have detail-and then have so much that it's so wordy and awkward that it ruins the story.
I think there's a fine balance that you have to reach in most aspects of the book-interesting but not unbelievable, descriptive but not overly so, attention getting but not overwhelming, etc.
I hope that what I said made at least a little sense.
Good luck!
Kate, New York, USA
I'm drawn to books with lots of action, or intriguing (or just plain hilarious) characters, or if they are well written.In particular, if the narration is good, no matter how average the plot is, I'll still enjoy it.
If I find that all the sentences are too long, I grow bored, and struggle to get through it.
I like my characters to be the good guys, but I'm drawn to them not because of things like their age or gender but because of their personalitites, if they possess qualitites I admire then I respect them more, and actually care about what happens to them.
And I agree with taylor, dialogue is important. It needs to be frequent and interesting (funny works well). It needs to sound real.
Too much description is boring.
Some other things
If a book flows well, its easier to read and I'll enjoy it more.
If each chapter starts with an interesting sentence, I'm tempted to continue reading (even if it's time for dinner)
Thats it. Goodluck with your project
Rachel, WA, Australia
I always need a cool cover with a good title.A lot of action but not too much.
I like a book that's not too dark and I hate it when the main character gets horribly embarrassed. That's a book that I wouldn't want to pick up a second time.
Funny, but not stupid.
Natural reactions to what happens. I always hate when there is a murderous criminal on the loose in the 11 year old girl's town, and she decides to go after him.
Characters that stick out.
Short chapters make me keep reading.
Hope this helps!
Rose, MA, USA
Oh, yes I forgot humor. I think it's key. Even if the narrative doesn't have humor, although subtle humor in the details is great, the dialogue should. Even in the worst of situations, someone is going to make some sort of joke, even a bad one. And it just makes people laugh, which is always a good thing in a book. Even a really deep, depressing one.Kate, NY, USA
Ohh, gotta help out my bro Jessica. For a book to capture my attention it just as to suck me in somehow in the first 30-50 pages. Doesn't really matter if it involves a quick starting plot, interesting characters, or just a natural feel to it all. I've stopped reading SO many books because they lack any sort of spark of emotion or genuine feeling in those first pages. Instead they're like empty shells telling the same exact story everybody else in the world is telling. Which is one of the major things that bothers me: a lack of any personal touch.
Books are like movies in that you get a lot of 'exciting' and 'pulse-pounding' books that at first all seem fun, but after a while you start realising that they are basically the exact same thing just with a different skin. I can't stand that. I'm a guy who gets tried of the same thing really quickly, and so I like my stories to try something new, experiment with how to write and tell a story. So yeah, a lack of originality is the major irk of mine.
Characters...I don't know. I don't think they have to be relatable or likable or even very in-depth (when I write I like to avoid as much personal detail about characters as I can), but they can't feel flat. It goes back to that originality thing -- certain characters have become horrible cliches. If you are going to use those cliches, at least tweak them in some way so I can remember who the heck I'm reading about.
Other comments? I have a horrible habit of liking everything (even those flat, unoriginal stories) and found writing that stuff about uber difficult because I couldn't decide just what exactly I liked. Also I totes agree with the humor thing. I don't think it is necessary in a story, but some subtle humor can drive things home oh so well. Like Beckett. I doubt people would consider him a master of bleakness if he didn't sneak in buttloads of humor in his stories.
Baxter, Kansas, USA!
In order to catch my attention, books need to sound interesting and need to start out interesting in order for me to keep reading.I can tolerate a little cussing, but not too much. One thing I don't like is when authors use the word 'said' over and over instead of using synonyms that give you a better understanding of how something is being said.
For characters, I hate ones that are really whiny or annoying, or have no personality. I usually like to read books where the main character is around my age (teenage years).
I like books that are original and ones that have a situation to be solved. I also like books with humor, just as long as it isn't forced.
Diana, Kansas, USA
For me a good beginning is not necessary. For books to capture my attention, it should be different and have a unusual plot.The books with different ideas capture my attention.Too much repetition of the same fact or dialog turns me off.
I like the main characters to be dark. I like antiheroes better. The more practical about his choices the better. The characters must not be stupid.
I like the character who manipulate others. I don't like character which come and go just to fill pages.
I detest the characters who are whiny and complain a lot.Age is not important.
The plot must be unpredictable and make me think 'who is with whom' and who is the villain. Complex the plot better the book.
Good luck with your project Jessica.
Abhijith, Karnataka, India.
Mod
I am just starting to piece all this information together (as well as the same thread I made in 1 or 2 other groups.)
Its an incredible help, and fascinating to see everybody's different opinions. I'll let you know my final marks at the end of the year, though it'll still be another few months before I even start the good copy of the novel.
I am till tossing up between a few ideas: A dark mystery set in victorian London, or a black-comedy set in Sydney/Rural Australia.
Okay soi like it whenever the book has a hook. it pulls me in to the story. (:
I like the characters to be relatable, but are unnatural at the same time. Having some sort of weird or odd twist that makes it even more interesting.
The best stories to me though are like, Lovey lovey but also have action scences.
Alyssa, Georgia, US.
PS.
i think the idea of a mystery in London sounds great.
there is this site called Teen Ink, they are publishing teenagers books right now if you are interested .
One thing that I have noticed in most teen novels is that the main character is, at some point in their life, disconnected from his/her parents. I find that this creates a greater sense of excitement, as the character has to make the big decisions almost completely on their own. They don't have that person to lean on, so they have to figure it out all on their own, which helps the reader to relate to the problem. That opposed to, I am reading about a person's trial and the decision their mom made to fix it. It just seems very... lack luster. I also think that the character has to be BELIEVABLE, even if their not even human. Like someone else said, the eleven year old should NOT go chasing after the murdurer!
One thing about a good character that I absolutely LOVe, is when the character has a distinctive way of talking that maintains itself throught the book. It makes readers (ME!) feel like they know the character better. That way, even if they hate them because the character makes them want to throw the book on the floor, they keep reading, anyway!
Now, for the negativ- I (and I don't stand alone here) absolutely hate reading the same old sob story over and over again! For instance, I might puke if I ever read a vampire or werewolf book ever again. The whole not-quite-human romance novel is getting old. But that goes for a lot of things. No matter what genre you're writing, it has to be VERY original these days, or the reader gets half way through before quitting with the though- I've been there done that, tell me something new.
Now we're told not to judge a book by its cover, but I can atell you everything there is to know about a book just by looking at its cover and title. Something flashy original,m and with a definate focal point that will catch people's eye. I especially like titles that say it all, but you don't know that until you've already read the book. These kinds of titles get you cutrious about what "The hunger games" or "The gurnsey literary and potato peel pie society" realy are, you know? You just can't resist opening up the book to figure out what on earth this is all about!
Anywho, I hope this was at all helpful! Good luck!
This means I have to write a report and create the final product-on ANYTHING I choose. Some people have decided to re-decorate their bedrooms, run coaching clinics, remix music, plan a holiday etc etc.
Like the cool person I am, I have chosen to write a novel: You guys can help me!
As part of my research I need to know what book-lovers love about books! Not critics or authors opinions, but normal people.
So:
-What do books need to have to capture your attention?
-Is there anything that turns you off?
-How do you like your characters? Unusual, relatable, your age... etc
-Anything else you think I should know :)
Please leave your location with your response (Like I would Say: Jess, South Australia). I may or may not need to use it in my report.
Thank you in advance for your help :)
P.S this is really important. If I pass its something to put in my resume if I apply for a job in Australia.