I’m a bad writer. I’ve done something that everyone cautions against, or rather, I haven’t been doing something that everyone advocates. When I was growing up I was a voracious reader. I’d devour everything I could get my hands on…as long as I liked the characters and wanted to see more of what happened to them. Series reading is totally a different topic though. Especially since I’m not fond of it the way I used to be.
But recently, over the last couple of years or so, I haven’t been reading as much. I read a lot when I travel. But work (old old job) only required that of me a couple of times a year, and the rest of the time it sucked the life and soul out of me and removed most of my desire for anything besides sleeping. The reading stopped when I wasn’t on a plane or in a hotel room, and the writing stopped.
Since old old job is almost a year behind me now, I’ve been trying to relearn how to do these things. I’m getting better at the writing. But I hadn’t gotten back into the reading. I’m trying really hard to read in my genre. I really, truly am. I’ve run into a big, huge, fat problem. I write adult urban fantasy. I’ve tried to redefine it as lots of other things – contemporary fiction, women’s fiction, contemporary fantasy…but definition-wise I know it’s urban fantasy.
Here’s my problem – I haven’t liked a single adult urban fantasy novel I’ve picked up. I’ve got some recommendations I need to check out and I assume those will help, but to date, they’ve all made me weep in pain. And one of them is an NYT bestselling author. *sigh*
But the YA ones I’ve picked up actually seem to embrace uniqueness. Yeah, okay, the basic plot is still always the same. But…these authors have something astounding about them. They have that elusive voice I keep hearing so much about. The first one I picked up was ‘Personal Demons’ by Lisa Desrochers. I didn’t want to like this book. I was going to use it to prove that I didn’t need to read in this genre because it was all lame. And I was so very, very wrong. I devoured it. I got halfway through and realized I had recently beta read another novel that had ‘borrowed’ the plot almost identically, and I was still compelled to read it.
It was all in the delivery. At least, it’s called delivery in comedy. In writing I think we call it voice.
The same day I picked that up, I also picked up ‘Paranormalcy’ by Kiersten White. Because our local Borders is one of the ones being shut down and it was on sale. I actually had mixed feelings about reading this. I’d heard it was really good, from people I trusted, but all that hype and their had to be something wrong with it, right? But once again, I was brilliantly surprised and pleased. I knew from the first paragraph why people love this author. She writes with a distinct, flippant tone that almost screams off the page with amazing personality.
I figured I was on a roll. I picked up a third on Friday. This one also came highly recommended from all sorts of people who read in this genre. Friends, fellow writers, people I trust. One of my good friends even reaffirmed for me on Friday that he thought I’d like it a lot.
And I’m not going to say what book it is, because…so far I’m a little disappointed. The delivery – the voice – is almost text book. It’s violated a couple of writing rules that I don’t think should be broken in dialogue, and it’s just not grabbing me. I’m giving it a chance. And I will finish it because a friend and I are reading it together, but so far I’m at page 70 and I’m just not sucked in.
The point is, I get it now. I understand why we have to read in our genres and I believe it. I’m still looking for some adult urban fantasy that doesn’t make me gag on cliche and bad writing, and if you have recommendations, I will trust and believe you and check them out next. Just keep in mind that ‘Supernaturally’ and ‘Original Sin’ are both coming out this summer, so whatever it is has to be good enough to compete with these second books in the trilogy.
What keeps you reading a book, even if you know the basic premise is tired? And what should I read next?
I have to really like the protagist in order for me to keep reading. Granted, the character him/herself doesn’t have to be likable, but I have to care about them enough to want to kee going. Sorry, I can’t think of any recommendations for you! I hardly read any adult books, let alone adult urban fantasy. 🙁
I can read 3 books on a week vacation, but 1 book a month when I’;m just sitting at home.
It comes in waves though, for me. I can devour a ton of books and then not pick one up for a while. I guess it all depends, but if I’m going to read I want it to be because I want to be invested in a story. Not just because I’m going through the motions.
Gee, I wonder what book it is that you aren’t into right now. 😉
I have been such a bad writer. Of the five years I’ve seriously worked on writing, I haven’t read much at all. Last year I finished four books, didn’t finish two others, and I’m pretty sure the year before that was even less. Things like college, debate and choosing to spend free time writing got in the way of the reading.
Usually I finish a book out of principle, and it’s really hard for me to quit even when I don’t care for the book. Plus, now I have the reading blog where I review books and have the book club. In fact, the only reason I finished reading Glimmerglass is probably because it was for the book club. Though I might give her adult urban fantasy series a try, Jenna Black, because I’ve heard that series is really good. I haven’t found many urban fantasy novels to even try because anything with vampires is hard for me to purchase.
I’m also very bad in another way. I don’t read in all the genres I write. *shrugs*
I completely understand. I stopped reading for a while when I thought I wasn’t supposed to read YA books (after I graduated from high school). What brought me back was mystery, specifically Nevada Barr’s series with Anna Pigeon. And from there I was able to get back into other genres. I usually stick with reading YA, but I did enjoy recently, The Reliable Wife, by Robert Golrick, which sucked me in because of the voice.
Good luck finding something you love!
The last YA book I read was in January–and it wasn’t in the genre I write. Before that? Almost over a year! I’ve been stuck in school and, thus, reading literary fiction. But that’s okay. Reading is reading–including CPs 🙂 Just do what you’re comfortable with. Good luck!
I’ve stopped reading most adult UF — like you, I’ve gotten bored with the plots. There are some that I’ll still read for one reason or another. Rob Thurman’s CAL LEANDROS series is one (seriously snarky, badass characters, new takes on old myths, it’s just frackin’ awesome.).
Have you tried Karen Marie Moning’s FEVER series? It’s one that if you make it through the first book, it gets BETTER. (The first book, the MC is less than appealing (fluffy, pink, girly, all…mushy and not likely to survive.) but there is HUGE growth through the series.).
Unfortunately, I’ve gotten bored with a good bit of the YA too–I dunno, I guess I’m tired of boy-meets-girl-girl-meets-other-boy-oh-god-not-another-Teen–LoveTriangle!
I’ve got a whole stack of books waiting for my attention (I’ve only gotten a little ways into Nightshade by Andrea Cremer and I really need to finish it…) but I’m lacking the want to. =(
So I’m right there with ya, Angel Sis. 😉
@all so glad I’m not the only one ^_^
@Mires – Thanks for the names. I trust your wisdom in these things.
The more I think about it, the more I think my story might not be urban fantasy anyway…it has angels, Norse gods, and Greek heroes, but it lacks a certain amount of crime-fighting butt kicking. I might call it contemporary fantasy and move on with life ^_^