Feature and Follow Friday is hosted by Parajunkee of Parajunkee’s View and Alison of Alison Can Read. The goal is to increase blog followers and to make new friends. If you want to take part, answer the question posted and add your post to the linky, follow the hosts and the featured blogs, and hop from blog to blog leaving a comment to say hello, follow new blogs that take your fancy, and return the favour if someone follows you.
This Weeks Question:
How important is good writing to you?
In an ideal world, a book would be beautifully written AND have great character development, plot, etc. But in the real world, which do you prefer: (1) Great characters and plot with lousy writing or (2) Middling character development and plot but gorgeous writing.
This is a tough question. Writing is so important, and awesome writing can help me start a book, but I will admit it won’t hold my attention for the long haul if I hate the characters. I love gorgeous writing just as much as the next person, but I do end up judging a book on its characters and plot. If I don’t connect with them, I don’t usually like the book. So my choice is definitely characters and plot.
However! It depends on how crap the writing is. I can forgive some spelling and grammar mistakes. Heck, I know I don’t have perfect spelling or grammar, so I can be quite lenient at times. If I connect with the characters and enjoy the story overall, I can and have overlooked mistakes in the past.
The Night Circus is the perfect example for me. The writing is absolutely beautiful. I can’t deny that. But the characters were just about as interesting as dirty dishwater. I felt nothing toward them. The plot was equally annoying to me. It was billed as an epic duel between two magicians. I was hoping for a whirlwind of spells and curses flying everywhere, and all the characters caught in the balance of life or death! I got a sappy love story featuring two uninteresting star-crossed lovers going all goo-goo for each other. That was not exactly the battle I had in mind!
What do you think? Do you prefer awesome characters, or perfect writing? Leave a link to your post so I can visit and/or follow back =)
I never finished Night Circus and couldn't get why all these others were loving it. :) I do agree that it depends on how crap the writing is but I mostly will pick character and plot over writing.
ReplyDeleteYep, me too. I almost always choose characters and plot over writing. If I don't connect, I'm not a happy reader!
DeleteI never even read The Night Circus because of that reason there. A friend of mine told me the same thing.
ReplyDeleteI agree completely with your opinion. I too ultimately judge a book on it's character's and plot. Gorgeous writing is a plus but I am pretty lenient too, so overall the Characters and plot for me too!
Thanks for stopping by my blog and for the follow!
Following back!
-Amanda @ Escaping Reality Within Pages
The Night Circus was such a disappointment. I totally let the hype take over. It's one of those books that could have been among my all time favourites, if only the characters were likeable. Such a let down!
DeleteThanks stopping by and the follow Amanda, have a great weekend!
I agree with you completely. Especially how crappy the writing is. You can have the best story ever but if you can't write it in a way that readers will connect then it's useless.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by my blog, I have also followed you via bloglovin.
Sharon @ Sharon's Book Nook!
Yes, exactly. If I love the characters, I can overlook things a bit. Both are so closely linked it's hard to separate the two! Thanks for the follow and for stopping by, Sharon!
DeleteThank you for stopping by my blog. Following you back in twitter, G+ & bloglovin. Have a great weekend!
ReplyDeleteThanks Liezl, have a great weekend too!
DeleteGood answer to a hard question. I'm an existing follower.
ReplyDeleteDiane @ Diane's Book Blog