How many times have you picked up a book excited by the back cover blurb, the cover art, the excerpt you read on the author’s website, or the buzz on the romance boards/blogs only to be let down completely within the first few chapters?
Or, how about reading an entire book—no skimming—only to be left with a great sense of disappointment or overwhelming mediocrity?
Do you cast the author off your list of To Be Read and into the fiery pits of Never Again?
Every author, especially those who have yet to be published and are desperate to be noticed in a tough industry, knows that a reader may give only one shot to impress, one shot to knock her socks off and leave her wanting more.
One shot.
So what happens when the author fires her best work but squarely misses? Are there legitimate reasons for never dipping into that author well again? Are you a forgiving reader?
I’ve read authors I’ve been less than impressed with. Because I do book reviews for online sites, I commit to read and review books, some of which I’m less than thrilled with on page one. I try to get through them. If I can, I write a gentle but honest review. If I can’t—really can’t—then I send the book back for someone else to review. Momma always said, “If you can’t say something nice, then don’t say anything.†I’m painfully aware that someday I’ll be on the receiving end of book reviews. I like to think I’ll get the same courtesy.
But this is not about book reviews. This is about second chances. When do authors deserve a second chance?
I’ve read books where the grammar and spelling are so bad that it’s a wonder the editors got through them. Maybe they didn’t—or couldn’t—but should I blame poor quality on the author, the editor, the agent, or all of the above? And not all of them were self-published.
Then there are the ones that are technically on point but the writing is, well…boring. Plodding. Elementary. Even painful. It’s true we all have to start somewhere but maybe we, as authors, should be less eager to publish and more eager to polish. Hard for me to admit that, as an aspiring author but it’s true. Let’s just say a long time passes before I venture that author’s way again.
How about if the author takes the story or series in an unexpected direction? I’ve see some vicious stuff online recently by outraged readers. Is this an unforgivable sin?
Finally, there are books that are well-written, both technically and creatively, but which, for some unknown reason, simply miss the target. They may be in genres that I love and read voraciously but they don’t do it for me. Rather than sing in harmony, my reader spirit clashes with the author’s writer spirit. Does that make him a bad writer, or me a bad reader? Maybe we aren’t in sync because we have different worldviews or because one (or both) of us has experienced a rough period recently. Maybe we just don’t, and will never, jive.
I’ve given authors second chances when a particular book doesn’t astound me yet I feel a spark. Of what, I’m not quite sure but a little voice inside says, “I liked something about her voice. I’ll try her again later.†Sometimes later is years later, after the author has grown a bit in her craft…and I, as a reader, have grown too. I’m definitely not the reader I once was. I also like to think the writer I am today is not the writer I’ll be even a year from now. I’ll get better.
And that’s the trick. Authors have to continue to work on their craft. Because new, talented authors pop up every day, and other authors, like Ms. Nora, are both popular and prolific.
Did I say tough, competitive industry?
An author has to earn her share of the reading audience. Some authors may rest on their laurels but from what I’ve seen, most work hard to hone and improve their skills, because they care about their readers.
So, if it wasn’t a match made in heaven the first time, how about giving her a second chance?
No related posts.
I keep a “never again” list. There are just as many bestselling authors on it as debut authors, so clearly sometimes it’s just a matter of taste, not necessarily authorial ineptitude.
As far as the blame for spelling, grammar, and punctuation flaws, if the problem hideous enough to be considered a “style,” the author needs to take a remedial English class before penning another chapter. I’m not talking about those instances when sticklers will debate the necessity of a comma or a lone typo that was overlooked in the copy that went to press, but those repeated, glaring errors that indicate a failure to grasp language concepts most of us learned in elementary school. I feel an editor’s role (and I do strongly feel there should be an editor involved) should be polishing, refining, clarifying the obscure usage issues to satisfy the nitpickers, not rewriting every sentence to correct sloppy form.
On the other hand, if a garbled mess crosses the editor’s desk and she thinks “What a gem, must publish” instead of sending it back with a scathing note and a coupon for a dollar off The Elements of Style, she’s not entirely blameless…
That should be “if the problem IS hideous enough.” Gah. Where’s my editor?
(Is it any wonder I found a mention of being jabbed with “noodles” in my manuscript? Hey, at least I found it…)
>>If I can, I write a gentle but honest review. If I can’t—really can’t—then I send the book back for someone else to review. Momma always said, “If you can’t say something nice, then don’t say anything.â€
(Oops, my post got cut off. Here’s the rest)
Hmm, if everyone reasoned like this, the only way to tell which books everyone hated would be by the resounding silence…
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with stating an honest opinion about a book (although I do think reviewers should refrain from personal attacks of any kind, and preferably try to articulate what exactly they didn’t like about the book).
About giving authors second chances, the aspiring writer in me thinks it is a splendid idea, but the reader in me is ruthless.
If there is something in the book that captures me–voice or characters usually–I will likely buy another one even if there are aspects of the novel I didn’t like. If not, the author does indeed not get a second chance. Life is too short to read (potentially) bad books. 
Selene
There are some authors who I say “Never again” about, but I don’t keep a list and I don’t really remember names. There is a high likelyhood that I will read that author again, even if I threw their book against the wall last year.
Hmm. If it’s of the “throw across the room stupidity” or if I really can’t finish it (rare, I tend to have to finish books) then I really won’t bother again. If the historical inaccuracies are utterly laughable and the writer hasn’t even bothered turning on their PC or opening a book and if the editor hasn’t the respect for the reader to check, then yes, I won’t give the writer a second chance.
But if it’s just a case that the characters don’t gel with me, or the language annoys but I liked the story, and I can see promise, than I’ll stick with it.
Quote: “Rather than sing in harmony, my reader spirit clashes with the author’s writer spirit. Does that make him a bad writer, or me a bad reader? Maybe we aren’t in sync because we have different worldviews or because one (or both) of us has experienced a rough period recently. Maybe we just don’t, and will never, jive.”
That’s the way I look at it. Most times, we just have a conflict of interest. As an aspiring author I try to be more forgiving than when I was just a reader. I don’t intentionally banish a particular author to my “Never” list, but I have to agree with one of the comments above, Life is too short to read (potentially) bad books!
It’s pretty rare that I’ll say “never again”–but I have said it, and it was after reading a book that earned rave reviews. The author’s treatment of the (emotional, controversial) subject matter smacked of generalizations and simplistic reasoning, which are qualities I just couldn’t forgive…or forget.
But she’s the only one.
I’m a firm believer (most of the time) that authors and readers who don’t connect in one novel may easily do so in another, since both the writer’s and reader’s contexts tend to change over time. If I had read Jane Porter’s Flirting with Forty back when I was twenty-two, I’m not sure I would have found it as brilliant as I did when I read it recently (and yes, I’m flirting with forty!
).
Second chances? You bet! MOST of the time…
I won’t banish an author for one book
and I usually give first books some leeway
but if two books later,
I still don’t like the style,
I’ll put the author in the never pile
(though I will buy again if its a fresh concept).
Usually I read enough of the book in store
(first chapter and last chapter)
to prevent a bad buy
and for eBook authors,
I tend to read a few posts of their blogs
(usually illustrates style).
Hmm. I think it comes down to voice for me. If I don’t enjoy one book by an author but I like the voice, I’ll try another book by him/her. And other times, the voice is the thing that says, “just not my kind of read” and it would take a pretty compelling story to make me try that author again.
Otherwise, I don’t pay attention to the authors of new releases at all. Only to the premise. If a premise interests me, I read the first few pages. If I like it, I buy it.:grin:
If there’s something in the style that works even if a particular story doesn’t, I’ll give authors a second chance from the library or a used book store.(For instance, I love Eloisa James and Nora Roberts, but each of them has written a few books that just didn’t grab me.)
Then again, some very popular authors just make me bleed from the eyes and ears. Things that turn me off forever? Gross anachronisms–or no sense of time and place–in a so-called historical. Bad, dangerous BDSM in an erotic romance. (In both cases, if something unfamiliar to you is an important part of your story, do your damn homework!) Heroines or heroes so dumb my seven-year-niece, or possibly my cat, could outwit them.
I remember reading a book by a prize-winning romance author a couple years ago. I stuck with it despite the constant egregious errors in grammar, spelling, construction etc, because I wanted to give the author a chance – I admired her accomplishments and really tried not to be nit-picky. Call it an experiment in endurance. The story itself was strong, but nothing turns me off in a book like being constantly jarred out of the story-world by errors.
Since then I’ve seen more books like this; they seem to be getting commoner. When I pick up a book in a store or library I expect that, at the very least, the writing should be error-free, barring the occasional typo. I don’t understand how these books are getting past agents, editors etc. I actually feel insulted that the people responsible for publishing them either don’t know better themselves or don’t feel that the reader deserves a minimum standard of competence in the writing. Maybe they assume that readers of romances – especially in the sub-genre that I read – don’t know any better than the inept author herself.
As for that author I mentioned – I wish her all the best, but I avoid her books now.
I do give authors second chances – but only if the book is competently written and there’s a spark somewhere, as someone said. I almost never fail to complete a book, even if it turns out to be quite stupid. I just keep on reading to see where the story will start getting good. If the book is full of errors, however, I can’t finish it.
Thanks for jumping right in ladies!
Kerry: When I think grammar errors, I think egregious. Not a typo here or there. And I’m always astonished that a book that poorly written–or edited–made it’s way to a bookstore.
Selene: The writer in me wants a few chances to get it right. The reader in me used to be less forgiving but I’m working on her!
Chicki and Liane: I used to force my way through a bad book, looking for any redeeming quality. But time is valuable, especially now that I’m writing. So rather than spend time on a really, really bad book, I’ll put it down.
Kimber Ann: I think debut authors deserve a bit more leeway, although I also think first time authors, conscious of the competition, work really hard on that first book. It’s just a fact of human nature that the things we do over and over, like writing, we tend to get better at.
Teresa: Anachronisms, blatantly wrong details like street names or landmarks, things like that…Hate ‘em! I haven’t put a book down for this reason but it inauthenticates the author’s voice. The writer is unfamiliar with their subject and didn’t do homework.
Kimber Chin, Erastes, and Charlene: Voice is important. Why a person loves one singer and can’t stand to hear another singing the same tune. The dips and swirls, the fullness, the essence of the voice make all the difference.
“When do authors deserve a second chance?”
From me, never. If I don’t like an author’s voice, there’s nothing she/he can write that will ever work for me. No matter how well written or lauded.
I’ll usually give the author a second chance if they are writing in a genre that I love and the blurb,cover, flap copy grabs my attention the way the first book did. If a sufficient amount of time has gone by I’ll probably think that the author has grown and the book should be better, but that’s usually it. No third chances.
Barbara: What about authors who write in multiple genres under different names? I’ve found that on occasion I like the author under one name and may not care for the work under another. I guess each name is a different author so that’s okay, although I find it interesting that my response would be so different.
HWJ: I’ll take the second chance when my time comes but hopefully I won’t need it!
I’ve read authors whose books have been boring to me but have given them a second chance based on plot description.
Sometimes the second chance has good results and sometimes the second chance is the last chance.
I would be more apt to give a second chance to an author who is writing a different story line than the one I read and didn’t like.
To be honest, I’m a very forgiving and lenient reader. I’ve read books by authors that are meh, but I love the author anyway. There has only been two books in memory (Three if you count the Angelique series from hell) that I could not pick up more of. One, I couldn’t even finish the book. For me it was God-awful, but others liked her and the book. My perceptions. The second was a book, that I loved the premise of but it left me absolutely cold at the end. No closure. I’d likely buy her again IF she wrote something that had the HEA in it. (The first didn’t, but it was blurbed as if it was.) I loved her take on suspense and she had great characters, but when the story fell into an abyss of unanswered questions, I wasn’t willing to pick up book two. I’m sure it was my loss.
I have to like the author’s voice — which is the only thing that really pulls me into his/her fictional world. If I don’t, then I won’t read another book of his/hers. But as you say, that’s a matter of not meshing, not of not forgiving (enough “nots” in that sentence? Yeesh.). As an author, I fully realize plenty of readers are going to feel the same way about my books — that they’re not for them — so I don’t have a problem with that, either as a reader or as an author.
I’ve read a lot of (to me) mundanely written stories (blah prose, lots of cliches, etc.), but can’t recall any instances of really eye-rolling grammar/usage issues in a traditionally published/edited book. The occasional weirdness, yes, but not throughout the entire book.
I have read some self-published excerpts online that have made me cringe, however…
Ms H: A good plot description will get my attention to, but then the author has to deliver.
Diana: I’m pretty forgiving but I have gotten to the point where I have a Never Again list. Thankfully it’s pretty short.
Karen T: I’ve actually experienced really poor stuff from a traditional publisher, which opened my eyes. Previously I’d thought that scenario only occurred with self-published authors who hadn’t taken the time to invest in a good editorial service. Many–not all–unfortunately believe they can wear all hats. But this was a respected publisher and the author was supposedly “award-winning” so I thought, what gives? Thinking it might be a fluke, a while later, I read another book by the same author–not sure if it was the same publisher–with the same results. I would never name names but I’m still amazed when I think about this person is selling books while so many talented authors wait for their big break.
Patricia, maybe we’re talking about the same ‘award winning’ writer. Mine was also from a traditional publisher. I too would never name names, but it was truly disappointing as I very much wanted to like the writer.
“Barbara: What about authors who write in multiple genres under different names? I’ve found that on occasion I like the author under one name and may not care for the work under another. I guess each name is a different author so that’s okay, although I find it interesting that my response would be so different.”
Patricia, I’ve actually found that this holds true despite multiple pseudonyms. I’ve read and enjoyed books by what I thought were new authors that turned out to be pseudonyms for authors I already liked. The subgenre, style, etc. were different, but the voice is recognizable. The same is true for authors I don’t like. The author’s voice is the most important element for me.
After 30+ years of romance reading I know what I like. I’m constantly trying new writers because I’m always on the hunt. I just don’t see much point in reading an author who’s already not worked for me. I’ve tried it and it’s never worked. Whether or not it’s fair to the author is completely irrelevant to me.
I don’t buy books to make the author happy. I buy them to make ME happy!
Does that make him a bad writer, or me a bad reader?
I’d say neither. I go by the old saying, everything ain’t for every body. A novel that I adore for what ever reason might make the next gal cringe. I have favorite authors that are on my auto-buy lists that have disappointed me with a book or two. But I keep reading because once they are in my favorites, it will take more than a couple of books to knock them off the list.
With new authors it is about voice and how great a story teller they are. If I fall in love with her voice and she spins a tale that pulls me in I’m buying the next book and hopefully the next book and the next book. There are lots of authors that I will only read one book from and might not try again. Typically if I really didn’t vibe with the voice then I won’t read them again. Or if I didn’t think they were really good at telling a story and pulling me in. Those are the deal breakers for me, voice and story telling. I can forgive most other things if these are strong. There are lots of books that I’ve purchashed (because I’m a book junkie) that I haven’t read. And it take a buzz or something else to push me to pick up the book and read it. I guess this is my long way of saying all of this is subjective…
Great post!
Gwyneth
Thanks for a great article!
I always wonder if I’ll see something of mine in print twenty years from now and feel embarrassed by it. What I thought was my best writing a year ago…brrrr…makes me cringe when I go back to read it again.
Barbara B: I find that I read more new authors now than I used to. Some are debut and some are just new to me. I’m pleased that I enjoy the vast majority of them.
Gwyneth: I have favorites too, and if they disappoint me a bit, I stay with them. Usually it’s just a storyline that I don’t care much for, or maybe a less than satisfying ending.
Liane: You too? I know that I’ll submit my best work now, and if I’m lucky someone will publish it, for which I’ll be elated. But at the end of my illustrious career–one can dream, can’t she?–will I dread someone bringing up my early works?
Most authors get a second chance from me if I can get half-way through their book. Usually, so much is going on in my life — including writing — that if I get that far, I give the author a second chance and sometimes a third chance for me to read their complete book.
Since I don’t remember names too well, author’s usually get a second chance at selling me.
Grump: Now I have made multiple passes at the same book. Sometimes I’m just not in the mood for that particular type of book. If I put it down, and read something else, I may come back to it.
Usually I am a “Never again” person. Sorry, if your book sucked that much, I’ll hate you, and if you bored me, I won’t remember you.
That said, there is one author I ponder giving another chance to, because I think she could have done better and I am somewhat curious to see if she ever improved. I haven’t seen her second or third book in stores yet, but if I ever do and have some time to lounge around in the store, I may flip through to see if she’s improved or not. I probably won’t spend the money to see, though.
For me, it depends what the problem was.
If the book is just boring then I’ll probably never try that writer again. What she thinks is interesting doesn’t match what I think is interesting; this doesn’t mean one of us is right and the other wrong, just that we’re different. That’s okay; it’s why there’s room for so many different writers and genres and styles.
If the book is badly written on a technical level — whether the problem is basic mechanics or structure or characterization or character voices or plot development, etc., (or some combination of the above [wince]) then I probably won’t try another one from that writer on my own, although if someone whose opinion I trust recommends a later book, I might. I’ll explain what my problem was with the first one and if my friend says, “Oh, no, they’ve fixed all that now,” then I’ll try it again. If not, then not.
If the book just didn’t grab me — if it’d sounded good when I read the blurb but it turned out I wasn’t interested in the characters or the plot just wasn’t very absorbing or whatever — then I might try a later book if the blurb and exerpt make it sound incredibly compelling. Maybe. A recommendation from that friend I trust will help a lot here too.
Every now and then, though, I’ll come across a writer who obviously hasn’t learned much of the craft yet, but who’s a wonderful storyteller. I wince over the typos and punctuation and grammar, the clunky transitions and stiff or melodramatic dialogue, or a plot point that just makes me eyeroll, but at the same time the story and/or the characters have grabbed me by the collar and are hauling me on down the path and all the ruts and brambles and protruding tree roots can’t quite force me to jerk free. I might be moaning and muttering and swearing over all the errors and rough spots while I read, but part of me is dying to go over their next manuscript with a red pen because there’s a truckload of potential there and mechanics are very learnable.
The bottom line, though, is that as a reader I don’t owe the writer anything at all so far as second chances go. If I feel like trying Jane Author a second time for whatever reason then I will, but I don’t owe it to her and the fact that I’m an aspiring writer myself doesn’t change that. Nor do I expect anyone else to give me a free pass if they read something of mine that they consider to be drek. As a writer it’s my job to write a story that readers will enjoy, and whining that they’re being mean or unfair if they don’t like my story won’t make me any more popular. [shrug]
Angie
Pat,
I’ve always had favorite books rather than favorite authors. I never really understood how people can want to read everything an author writes (yes, even if I’m the author). Some books, no matter who the author, just don’t grab me, and I can’t blame others for feeling the same way. For instance, I’m more likely to get bored with an author who cranks out the same stuff over and over and appreciate it when authors switch genres, but the bottom line is that some plot lines interest me more than others (I won’t pick up anything paranormal, for instance, but that doesn’t mean I love another book written by the same author any less.)
Forgot to add, poor writing does turn me off, so I’d be unlikely to give an author who’s clearly not ready for prime time another chance.
Bettye
I like to think of myself as a second-chancer. However, there needs to be something that I liked about the author that would make me want to try something else. If I like the author’s prose and her descriptions but not her characters, I may try another of her works in the future and hope that she’s improved.
I will forgive debut authors almost anything because it’s their first time at bat. Sometimes I’ll wait two or three books before I give them another try so they can work out their new-to-the-biz issues, like second-book or Too Many Cons sydrome.
I expect the most out of series writers, probably because I’ve written so many series novels. I expect to get at least as much out of theirs as I put into mine. It’s also depressing to keep reading a series where the writing has gone from fantastic to phoning it in.
Everyone else has the same shot every time — if I like your premise and the first five pages, I’ll read your book. If for whatever reason you don’t deliver, I’ll remember it when I pick up the next book you write, and it will factor into whether I buy it or not.
I only strike an author off permanently if I’ve tried and failed to be entertained at least two or three times. That even goes for authors who’ve fallen off my auto-buy list.
Jennifer: I hope you do give that author another chance. There’s nothing wrong with checking a book out of the library if you’re reluctant to put out the cash. I use my library to test authors/books all the time. When I find ones I like, then I try to support with my wallet.
Angie: Maybe readers do owe the writers something, namely a fair shot. I stay away from works I’m predisposed against, based on buzz, blurbs, or whatever. I might change my mind, which then makes it a good time to give it a try. I did this with the Harry Potter series–didn’t think I would get into the whole wizarding fantasy thing–and became an immediate convert.
Bettye: I have favorite authors. This predisposes me to take a look at their stuff, not necessarily to read everything they write. If it is a continuation of a series I’ve already started and loved, chances are I’m selecting the book for no other reason. If not, I’ll check out the blurb. But I start with these authors when I’m looking for something to read.
Cassie and Angela: Sounds like your both flexible and open in your approach. Can I put you on my potential reader list when I have a book to sell?
Lynn: Writing a series must be tough. If you hook the reader with the first book, the expectations are elevated for all subsequent books in the series. Since you do it successfully, my hat is off to you.
It’s about the voice. If I like the writing, and the basic voice, even if the book doesn’t grab me I’ll probably pick up another by that author again. Everyone writes a dud now and again. (But it is subjective. My favorite Nora Roberts book was a “that’s okay” from my mom, and her favorite NR book was a “that was okay” from me.)
But if the voice doesn’t resonate with me at all, or if the reading is painful, I won’t read another.
Some books I know are good but I don’t particularly like the subject matter/genre. I’ll usually read one to get a feeling for the author, and then when someone tells me they like that genre, I can comfortably recommend authors that I don’t regularly read.
As an author, I understand that I can’t please all the people all the time. I can live with that. I hope I please MOST of them who pick up my books, but it is subjective.
Patricia — I think I am fair, though. I give professional writers my money, and pros and amateurs both my time and my eyeballs. If one story didn’t do it for me but there was something cool about it, I’ll try another if the premise sounds interesting. And even if I really hated one story I’ll often try another if some third party I trust urges me to for some specific reason. I’m not sure what more a writer could reasonably expect, and I say that as a writer as well as a reader.
Angie
Angie: I didn’t mean to imply you weren’t fair. I addressed the issue of whether the reader owes a writer anything. Yes, we pay our money and for that, we want a good read. But as with any communication, both the sender and receiver, bring something to the party. In the case of a book, I believe the receiver/reader has to bring an open mind and willingness to go along for the ride. In the end, as the reader gets off the story rollarcoaster, she may decide it wasn’t for her, based on her values, beliefs, likes, or dislikes, or simply what she was looking for at that moment in a story, but she gave it a shot.
That’s probably why I don’t read a lot of political non-fiction. Harder to go along for the ride.
The fact that you’ll try again if a 3rd party recommends an author shows that you too are willing to give second chances. I’m told the last chapter, or even last line, sells the next book. So if you don’t like one but you get a glimmer of better things to come, it sounds like you’d pick up another by the same author.
Allison: Reading is very subjective, which is why I love the variety of the books available today. Especially within romance. I want to see more.