I saw this article the other day that asked, “Are you ashamed of skipping parts of books?” Which, naturally, made me want to ask all of YOU.
Do you skip ahead in a book? Do you feel badly about it when you do?
I try not to skip, since, as a writer myself, I know the effort, the hard work, that goes into every phrase written. However, when I find myself falling asleep in the middle of a three-page long description of the sky, I will beg forgiveness from the Gods of Literature and jump ahead.
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6 comments:
My dad is a professed reader of only happy endings. He always, always, always, reads the last page. No matter what the book is. If a book doesn't have what he calls a "Dad ending," he doesn't read it.
I read the end of the book on occasion. I tell myself it's never on purpose—I'm just trying to see how many pages the book has, etc. But I do do it.
I also jump ahead, or rather: skim, fairly often. I do it with books I'm not interested in or books I've already read. If it's a book with multiple plotlines/perspectives and I don't like one of them, I won't read it. There are actually books I've "read" several times that I've never actually read cover to cover.
You bring up a good point about the writer working on every word, phrase, etc. But that also reminds me that part of good writing is good editing--either done yourself or by someone else.
I think of Stephen King, who is a great writer but he's better when he's got a great editor. Just see some of his output in the 80s when it felt like his editors were too in awe of him to edit. Thankfully, that is no longer the case.
I'm like you--I try not to do it. But there are times...
Full answer:http://myreadersblock.blogspot.com/2012/01/booking-through-thursday-skipping-ahead.html
I'm with you no 3 page sky descriptions . I'm a new follower .. here is my link if you wish to follow. http://totallybookedsolid.blogspot.com/2012/01/booking-through-thursday_19.html
I do have to agree if I'm falling asleep because of an extremely long description of something, I'll skip ahead too. I feel bad, but I'd rather get to the story.
Hehe I love the last line!
Thanks for leaving your comment at reviewingwhatimreading.blogspot.com! I will follow your blog :)
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