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Top Ten Reasons I Stop Reading

A Few of My Favorite Books
A Few of My Favorite Books
My motto is "Life is too short for bad fiction." 

I no longer make myself finish a book just because I started it and I hate wasting money. When a book disappoints, not only has the author wasted my time but my cash. I only let an author burn me once.

If I peruse a book in a store or do a "Look Inside," there are red flags that keep me from purchasing it.

If I purchase a book, there are several things that land it in my discard heap.

1. I need a central question interesting enough to keep me turning pages. I can forgive a few shortcomings if the plot is intriguing enough. There are ways to make common tropes interesting. I hate boring chapters, fillers, and inserts. Too many in a row and I toss the book or skip to the end to read the finale.

2. I need someone to root for. I quit the minute I no longer care about any of the characters. That can happen in chapter 2 or chapter 12.

3. Elementary use of language is a turn off. I don't expect brilliance or word wizardry in every book, though it helps. But I need a base line of competency devoid of purple prose, an abundance of repetition, and cringe-inducing descriptions. Spelling, basic sentence structure, and some variance in vocabulary are essential ingredients.

4. I will allow the reference to  gore, torture, rape, murder, but not bringing the verbal camera in close to capture every graphic, nauseating detail. Same with endless, bloody fight scenes. I once started a Thriller and the first there chapters were the protagonist being tortured in different ways. Into the trash it went.

5. Flawed characters are fine, even the occasional anti-hero, but abusive or toxic characters as protagonists are a turn off. They may have a redeemable goal, but I don't like out of control, severely dysfunctional people in general. I have a hard time rooting for them. 

6. Finding out the story isn't as advertised. If you promise me a mystery, I don't want navel gazing and romance. I want a sleuth following clues. If you promise a thriller, it needs to be thrilling, I don't need a few fight scenes sandwiched between gratuitous sex scenes. 

7. Poor world-building is boring, especially in SciFi and Fantasy. Whatever the setting, I want you to take me there. You can't assume I've been to Seattle or Mars. Effective use of description is essential. I have read books where I never got a visual of the place or the characters. Some writers do that intentionally. I am not their target demographic.

8. Cardboard characters with weak or unrealistic motivation. This is a common sin. The story reads like a soap opera filled with clichés. Characters drive any story. Make them three-dimensional.

9. Cringe-inducing dialogue is an instant "no." I tried to read a book recently where the adult characters had a limited vocabulary and the action tags were irritating, she said while twirling a strand of her hair. I think the term smirked should be banned. It is like fingernails on a chalkboard. The writer used smirked more than once in every chapter. Into the bin it went.

10. Twists where everything was a dream or a last chapter is tacked on to reveal that everything you thought you knew about the story was something entirely different. That will guarantee I never read another book by that author.

These days I long for a complete immersion experience. I want to be drawn in on page one and not look up again until I reach "The End." Those books are rare, largely due to weak writing skills. Writing is a craft. Writers don't have to be master craftsmen to be entertaining, but there is no excuse for not learning the basics.

Readers have limited time and budgets. It is crucial for an author to make their book worth the investment.

Read more on the topic:

Betraying Your Readers

A Few of My Favorite Things

A Few of My Favorite Things Too

The Magic of Voice and A R Kahler

Publishing's Dirty Little Secret

Characters with Blurred Lines

Tools for Writing Good Fiction




Offensive Books and the Bully Pulpit

No Entry Authorised Persons Only
The level of incivility in the writing world has reached an all-time high. Whether professional or self-appointed, groups who feel they have the right to "police" others are guilty of overreach and, in some instances, outright injury.

Recent examples include numerous authors whose books were targeted by so called "gatekeepers" of the YA community. Even if they had valid points or concerns, their attacks on authors grew vicious and created scorching firestorms of controversy.


1. Amélie Wen Zhao’s debut novel Blood Heir was attacked before it ever hit the shelves. ARC readers decided her depiction of slavery was racially insensitive, despite the fact that she referenced modern day human trafficking and indentured servitude. It wasn't long before people who never read the book took up arms against her. Zhao caved and cancelled the book. After the smoke cleared from rounds of mortar fire from both sides, she decided to go through with the release. 


2. Keira Drake’s fantasy novel The Continent was attacked before release due to complaints of racism. Readers objected to the depiction of an enemy tribe they decided was based on Native Americans. They objected to the "white savior" hero. Another group decided her story was based on Japanese culture which they deemed insensitive. Her book eventually got published after a rewrite.


3. Laurie Forest's fantasy novel The Black Witch was deemed bigoted. The main character lives in a caste-based world. She was brought up to be prejudiced. Over the course of the novel she headed off to college and became more "woke," thus taking on the fight for the oppressed. The plot was also labeled another instance of "white savior" syndrome.


4. Kosoko Jackson's young adult novel A Place for Wolves was set during the 1990s Kosovo genocide. His protagonist is a gay American teenager. He was attacked for his Albanian Muslim antagonist and for his choice of setting.  Ironically, he was part of the #ownvoices movement that targeted Blood Heir. His book is not currently available.


5. Jonah Winter's The Secret Project is a middle-grade book about the creation of the atom bomb. He was attacked for inaccurate depictions of Native Americans and poor research of the setting of Los Alamos and the experiments in nuclear testing in the area. 


6. A Fine Dessert, a children's book authored by Emily Jenkins and illustrated by Sophie Blackall, featured illustrations of smiling slaves which triggered a backlash. The author apologized and donated her advance to "We Need Diverse Books." The illustrator defended her work, stating she could not control the way her illustrations were received. Her intent was not to suggest slavery was in any way acceptable.


7. Wendy S. Swore's A Monster Like Me has been criticized for depictions of Native American tribes in Oregon and their mythology, another instance of lax research. The main character, Sophie, can see ghosts, goblins, trolls, witches, and fairies. She has a hemangioma on her face, a "monster mark." She sees herself as a monster. Is the author saying people with birthmarks are monsters? No.

8. John Boyne's My Brother’s Name Is Jessica was criticized for a non-transgender author writing about a transgender character. The trolling chased him off Twitter.


9. Zoe Marriott's The Hand, the Eye and the Heart received criticism for being set in a a fantasy version of China. Critics suggested that no one should write about China unless they are Chinese. The book appears to have been pulled.


10. Rebel of The Sands by Alwyn Hamilton was criticized for blending misrepresentation of a vaguely Middle Eastern culture with Old American West culture.

Some critics have suggested that white people cannot write people of color, straight people can't write alternative gender or sexuality characters, or settings different from their experience. To suggest authors limit themselves to their own experience and existence is, quite simply, absurd. To suggest Science Fiction and Fantasy writers can't use their imaginations to create unique story worlds is equally ridiculous. Fantasy is not History or Autobiography.


One critic goes so far as to say, if you're straight and white and have written a book about people of color or LGBTQ, you should shelve it so that people of color or LGBTQ authors stand a better chance of having their stories published.

Isn't it racist to assume that a person who appears to be a specific skin color, sexuality, or ethnicity can only write about the assumptions you've made about them? Should any author be shackled in that manner? That suggests there is only one indigenous person experience, one African, Asian, or Arabic experience. It is also ridiculous to assume there is only one historical experience based on the stereotypes presented in history books.

Stories that make you uncomfortable, challenge current thinking, and force you to question your world view are crucial. 
Does that mean hate speech should be given a free pass? Of course not.


An author should exercise due diligence when writing about a real place and real people, but when it comes to fictional worlds, they are not required to reflect current political correctness. Nor should older novels be revised to reflect the sensitivity of the world we live in today. To suggest authors limit themselves to their own experience and existence is, quite simply, absurd. To suggest Science Fiction and Fantasy writers can't use their imaginations to create unique story worlds is equally ridiculous. Fantasy is not History or Autobiography.



You may not like their story world. It may be a vile place. You may not like the hero.  You may not like their stance on topics. Readers have the option of closing the book and moving on to more palatable tales.

It is also important to consider the thematic message. In many classic novels, the hero wakes up to the ugly truth about himself or his world and works to change it. He may not succeed. The ending may suggest there is still work to be done or remark upon our failure to correct mistakes. On thematic topics such as slavery, the author has the right to explore all sides of the argument. Characters can feel justified for supporting it, others will be completely against it, and others can explore the shades of gray in between. That is the purpose of thematic arguments: to bring ideas out into the open and dissect them.


The demographics of the United States are continually shifting. Diversity in publishing and the #ownvoices movement are critical to the process of change. Publishers are finally willing to take a chance on minority authors and books that reflect diversity. Changes in traditional publishing can be glacial. That is one reason independent publishing is a valuable option. Stories that would otherwise dry rot in a drawer can be published and allow readers to decide their merit. 
Writers won't always get it right. Change is going to be messy and imperfect. A total overhaul will take time.

The writing life is hard enough without battling enemies within the community or being trolled on social media. 
As writers, we should be able to discuss thematic arguments like adults with grown up words. If you can't be constructive, you shouldn't be part of the conversation. Raging on Twitter is still childish and rude and bullying is still wrong. When the supposed adults are guilty of bad behavior, how can we expect teens to do better?

Further reading on the topic:


Can White Authors Write Characters of Color? by Kristin Nelson has links to several articles that are helpful when crafting characters.

Writing About Race, Ethnicity, Social Class, and Disability article by Hamilton College


Are White Authors Not Allowed To Tell Stories Involving Black Characters? Lorraine Devon Wilke


6 Things White People Can Do to Help Ensure More Writers of Color Get Published

by Kerry Truong

How to Write Protagonists of Colour When You’re White by Justine Larbalestier

Fundamental Errors in Diverse Books by Hannah Heath

6 Pitfalls to Avoid When Writing LGBTQI+ Characters in Teen Fiction Writer's Digest


The Dos and Don’ts of Writing About the Disabled by Nicola Griffith

Guidelines for Writing About People With Disabilities  ADA National Network

The Five T's of Sex Scenes


Venus and Adonis by Titian
*** Warning: Graphic Discussion of Sex Ahead ***

Last week, we looked at basics for writing consent and how to word erotic scenes. This week, we examine a few mechanics.

This post is for the benefit of fiction writers and screenwriters. Movies and television get it wrong so often, it is cringe-inducing. When writing about satisfying sex, there are a few fundamental factors that are ignored, especially where the fairer sex is involved.

1. Timing

For a person to enjoy sex, it helps if the timing is right, not perfect, just mentally and physically conducive.

Directly after being raped, assaulted, and shot for instance is not a good time. Neither is having run for two days straight from bad guys to the point where you are brain dead and physically drained, covered in mud and blood.

There are people who enjoy make-up sex after an argument. That is not the same as expecting sex when your partner has just emotionally devastated you. Even if the misunderstanding is cleared up, a recovery period should be built in.

Non-sexual touch is skipped over, but crucial to rebuilding the connection so it feels safe to be vulnerable enough for sex. It could take days depending on the wound inflicted. Whatever you do, be sensitive and don't model abusive behavior.

2. Tumescence

Contrary to popular belief, women don't walk around in a constant state of arousal. Once aroused, the level of tumescence increases substantially. But the majority of women don't go from zero to ready in five seconds or less. It takes more than a guy saying "You're hot" to open the tap so to speak. 

Scenes where the guys shoves a woman against the wall, furniture, or stairs (dear heaven the back!), lift a skirt, and pump and dump for a minute are not erotic. It would be a dry hump and severely irritating.

Also, it is extremely difficult to be sufficiently lubricated while in water. This includes showers, hot tubs, pools, and - talk about a burn - salt water.  Don't get me started on alcohol- ouch.


3. Temperature

Cold hands may suggest a warm heart, but it is nearly impossible to bring your partner to orgasm with cold hands applied to her clitoris. And ice? Are you kidding me? In the middle of a snowstorm? Nope.

4. Tempo

Whether manual stimulation or penetration, rhythm must build to exploding fireworks. It takes more than five seconds. 

The desired overall rhythm is different for each woman, perhaps each encounter. Usually, starting off slow then increasing speed leads to a satisfying climax. The encounter should build to a crescendo. Wham, bam, thank you ma'am is not erotic, but it is depicted so often men think it is the gold standard. They don't know better if we don't tell them.

5. Touch

Touch is another highly personal factor: when to be soft, when to apply more pressure. Usually friction builds along with tempo. A light touch brings on the tumescence required for rising pressure and tempo, just like your sex scene.

Some films only allow a few minutes for its gratuitous sex scene and get right to the point, so to speak. *Shudder.*

When writing fictional sex, however, take your time and make it enjoyable for everyone.


The only way to reverse misinformation and psychologically unhealthy depictions of sex and intimacy is to start mirroring healthy encounters. Books, films, and television are often the sole source of information for young people. That's a tragic statement about our society's squeamishness when it comes to sex education. As a writer, hold yourself accountable. Be part of the change.

Here are a few articles on writing sex with sensitivity.

1. Writing Safer Sex in Fiction from Writer's Digest

2. Honest and Subtle Writing About Sex in Young Adult Literature from The Conversation


3. Rape Scenes Aren't Just Awful, They're Lazy Writing by Laura Hudson 

4. Writing Sex Scenes by Randy Susan Meyers


5. Healthy vs Unhealthy Relationships University of Washington


6. Roadblocks to Healthy Sex, Intimacy, and Relationships by Crystal Jackson


Writing Sex Scenes

Paul-Albert Besnard
A crucial question when writing any novel is "Who is your audience?"

Are you targeting the sweet and innocent Hallmark crowd or the full frontal erotica audience? It makes a huge difference in content.

The Romance genre is unique in that there are imprints with specific requirements, sometimes down to the page number when the characters first kiss. Even if you self-publish, it helps to understand reader expectations. The worst sin you can commit is to make a promise to a reader about the kind of story you are going to tell then break it. Don't promise cozy Christian and break out the whips and chains.

The foremost authority on the genre is, of course, Romance Writers of America. If you have questions about breaking into the genre, they are the place to begin.

The keys to tension in Romance are longing and desire, the wait to consummate, not the mechanics. In one of the most passionate love scenes I watched in a movie, the characters didn't touch. They came very, very close, but they knew it was forbidden and would destroy their lives. The heat they kindled in that fully-clothed, physically-restrained scene was scorching. You don't have to bare all to write passion.

Click to Tweet: In Romance, just like Mysteries and Thrillers, the tension lies in what comes before the "bang."

As for sex, so many writers get it wrong. The encounters read like letters to a men's magazine or suffer from purple prose.  Writers figure they know what sex is and writing about it is easy. Not so. In fact, in the age of #metoo and #consent and sensitivity, it has never been more important to get it right.

Here are a few articles on writing sex and consent with sensitivity:

1. How to Write Consent in Novels by Hannah Giorgis

2. The Romance Novelist's Guide to Hot Consent by Kelly Faircloth

3. Remnants of the Bodice Ripper: How Consent is Characterized in Heterosexual and Lesbian Erotic Romance Novels by Audrey Miles Malloy

4. Everything You Need to Know About Consent That You Never Learned in Sex Ed by  Zhana Vrangalova

5. From First Meeting to Sex: 12 Stages of Physical Intimacy from Parents Magazine


Here are a few books on writing sex scenes that can help you avoid purple prose.

1. "I Give You My Body . . .": How I Write Sex Scenes  by  Diana Gabaldon

2. Naughty Words for Nice Writers A Romance Novel Thesaurus by Cara Bristol

3. How to Write Hot Sex: Tips from Multi-Published Erotic Romance Authors by multiple authors 

4. Words and Phrases: Make Your Sex Scenes Sizzle by Sabrina Devonshire

5. Thinking Like A Romance Writer: The Sensual Writer's Sourcebook of Words and Phrases by Dahlia Evans

Next week, we will look at the Five T's of Sex Scenes.

For more on the topic:

List of Obstacles to Love 

List of Connection Points

Subliminal Messages in Romance

Sixteen Lovers Part 1 (based on personality types)

Sixteen Lovers Part 2

Sixteen Lovers Part 3

Sixteen Lovers Part 4

Check out the Build A Romance Workbook available in ebook and print.