Thanks to a comment by Linda Luke, I realized I forgot one of my favorite S story elements. Surprise. Nothing will irritate me more than a well-written book with interesting characters that is overly predictable.
Although I will read all genres and authors, I shy away from romance novels. Too often, they follow the same formula: woman is immediately attracted to man, woman falls in love in 20 pages (if that!), man gives into heat but fears love, a misunderstanding occurs, man realizes he does love woman, man and woman ride off into the sunset.
My favorite way to incorporate surprise is little by little, like small bursts of flavor in a delicious cake instead of a dill pickle in the middle of my cupcake. Too much and too wrong.
Another favorite: a book I don't think I'll like but end up loving. Come to think of it, that's the best kind of reading surprise.
Do you like the element of surprise when you read? As a writer, do you feel pressure to put something in your novel the reader's not expecting?
5 comments:
I agree with you. I don't mind some surprises, but they'd better be good ones. And I don't mind similarities in romances--I mean we know how they're gonna end--as long as the story is realistic, the characters are likeable, and the writing draws me in and stirs my emotions.
(No. I don't like it when the leads fall for each other too fast.) Great post. :)
I don't like surprises for the sake of surprises, or one that's so easy to guess that it's not a surprise at all (like the typical romance plot you described).
As for my own writing, I'll try to keep a few things from the read, but only if it's important to keep it secret. Nothing that's a last minute save or cop out.
Surprise when well used makes for some awesome reading. The surprise has to make sense even if I didn't see it coming.
I dislike predictable books. They drive me over the edge. If I am shocked by an unusual twist, so much the better. But, I agree with you, surprises are not always the answer. I ended Yassa in a way that may surprise the reader. I struggled with it for weeks. :)
I also do not like books where the man is unsure. Period. Make up your mind, already. LOL!
Melissa, I agree. Surprise for the sake of surprise is a cheap gimmick.
JE Fritz, I like holding back a few things, too. Can't give it all away too soon!
Jaleh, Making sense is SO important.
Jo, Unsure men. Why how could that be? ;-) I don't like an unsure character that spends an entire book flip-flopping only to make a less than dramatic decision.
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