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Noteworthy

27 April 2011

Fish In A Barrel or The One That Got Away?

Your current Clash hostess is: Michelle Massaro

When it comes to books, how easy are you to reel in? Do you swim against the current, requiring a strong line to tug you along? Or do you flow right in to a story's net? I admit I can be a stubborn swimmer. I've become a more critical connoisseur of fiction. Occasionally I'll abandon ship, but I'll usually still swallow a tepid plot even while making a face. It just takes more to make my knees go weak from the complex flavors of a novel. Writing chops get me baited. Strong plotline pulls me in. It's a magical moment when everything comes together perfectly and I'm happy to leap into the boat without resistance.

A couple weeks ago we put up a survey asking how long you give a book to reel you in. We received 54 responses! So today we're going to share those results and many of the comments that came in:

     11.1% of responders said one page
     35.2% said one chapter
     46.3% said until they lose interest
     7.4% said they finish every book they start, regardless of interest. (God bless 'em)

What do you think? Here are some of the comments we received: 
  • If by the end of the chapter, I'm not hooked, I might skim thru to give it another chance. I usually can tell then if I want to read the book. :)
  • Sometimes the first page hooks me but then the story loses me later on anyway. It just depends really!
  • Some books struggle to hold my interest until the half-way point and then grab me so hard I read into the wee hours to find out what happens next, and next. I don't want to give up too soon and miss the best part.
  • I know some stress the first paragraph and even the first line, but I don't want my reading to become fast food. Don't bore me with bad writing, but give me something to savor, something to enjoy for a while. Hopefully, my own writing will do the same.
  • I always try to give the author a chance, as some great books have slow beginnings.
  • I am the eternal optimist! I keep thinking, "I know its gonna get better. I just know it." So I trudge along, supporting the author the best I can until finally...I can't go any further. I have noticed that I have a much more critical eye than I used to, though. So maybe my patience isn't quite as long as it used to be. I just hate to give up on ANYBODY!
  • I love it when I'm hooked in the first few pages. Definitely must be in first chapter. I no longer feel obligated to finish a book I can't get into. Twice this year I've chosen not to finish books that failed to hook me.
Thank you to those who participated in the survey--we love giving readers a voice!

Polls are still open today and tomorrow, so read the excerpts and vote! Then make sure and stop by throughout the coming week to talk to our authors.  Two lucky winners will receive a free book and every comment, every link you share on social media, every new follow earns you another entry in our drawing.
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Item Reviewed: Fish In A Barrel or The One That Got Away? Rating: 5 Reviewed By: Michelle Massaro
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