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10 Things To Do Before Buying A Novel
By Jill Brennan
OK, you don¡¯t get much time to read novels anymore.
You used to but that was another life. Before you could
pick up something that appealed and because you read
so much, you weren¡¯t too disappointed if it didn¡¯t grab
you like you thought it would. Things have changed.
Now when you pick up a novel to read it has to get you
in quickly or it will collect dust on your bedside table.
There are too many other things demanding your
attention¡like sleep!
And when you go to the bookshop sometimes its hard
not to be overwhelmed by the sheer number of books
on offer, especially with the big mega stores becoming
the norm. So what to do?
I¡¯ve put together a checklist that with a little bit of
preparation can help you wade through
the sea of books and help you pick a surefire winner: a
novel that will captivate YOU.
1. The best place to start is to look out in magazines,
newspapers and online for book reviews ¨C see what is
being billed as the latest must read. Even if you don¡¯t
have time to read the whole review, jot down the title
and author as one to look out for.
2. Ask friends for the best book they have read in the last
few months or this year or the last few years if like you
they really are struggling with the whole when-am-I-
going-to-find-time-to-read-a-novel?-thing. Don¡¯t just ask
them what book was their favourite; ask them why they
liked it. Was it an unusual story, was the pace so fast
they needed a crash helmet, did it have edge of the seat
suspense, did it remind them of growing up? You want
to know what exactly made it a great read for them. This
will help you to refine your search, especially if they say
they liked the quirky twist in the ending and you don¡¯t do
quirky. Just because you¡¯re close friends doesn¡¯t
automatically mean you like the same books.
3. Ask the people behind the counter at your favourite
bookshop what they enjoyed reading and get them to
take you to it or give you a specific reference number so
you can find it easily yourself.
4. When you get the book in your hands look at the
cover. Is it a catchy title? Does the cover appeal to
you? Despite the old saying about not judging book
covers, publishers put a lot of time and effort into
creating a captivating cover and title. Does it work for
you?
5. Turn it over and read the back. Does it still appeal?
Do you only like reading modern books and this is set in
the 1800s? It¡¯s important to be fairly ruthless at this
stage. If the premise for the story doesn¡¯t leave you
wanting more, chances are the writing probably won¡¯t
either.
6. Look at the size of the book. I know this isn¡¯t
something for the purists but if you don¡¯t get time to read
many novels, don¡¯t launch back in with a 700 page
tome or it will probably take you all year and then you¡¯ll
be frustrated and annoyed at wasting time and money
on something you haven¡¯t enjoyed.
7. The next step is crucial. Read the opening ¨C does it
get you in straight off? Novels have a bit more time to
seduce you than a short story but not much these days.
A good opening is like someone placing a thread
around your finger and gently tugging on it. They¡¯ve got
you but can they keep you?
8. Has the author mentioned 10 characters and 5
different place names in the first 3 paragraphs? You
want to be captivated not confused, remember? If your
main reading time is before you drop off to sleep, books
that have lots of characters and places or even a family
tree at the beginning are a warning that it gets
complicated and you need to keep track of who is who
and what they¡¯re up to.
9. Are there lots of long sentences or are they short and
sharp? Lots of short sentences usually mean action
and pace. Something. Is happening. Right now.
Usually it¡¯s best to go for a story with a combination of
both ¨C one that suits your preferred action/background
information mix.
10. If you still think the book in your hands is worthy,
randomly flip open the book in 5 places and see
whether it is densely packed with text. Is there dialogue
at each page you stop? No dialogue usually means
that a book is more descriptive rather than direct
scenes. If you want a compelling read then go for
something with a fair amount of dialogue; if you don¡¯t
mind a slower pace then bits of dialogue here and there
is probably enough to keep you going.
If it all stacks up, buy it and enjoy. Just one more tip
though. If it doesn¡¯t captivate you in the first 100 pages
and you find reading it a chore, give it up. Don¡¯t keep
persisting just because you don¡¯t like leaving things
unfinished. The book won¡¯t feel hurt if you don¡¯t finish it.
And the author will never know.
About the Author
If you love escaping into fiction but can't always find 12 hours to indulge in a novel, then you are exactly who Jill Brennan had in mind when she created espresso Fiction! For details go to: http://www.fastfoodforyourmind.com
Article Source: http://www.simplysearch4it.com/article/5032.html
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| Some other articles by Jill Brennan | 7 Benefits of Reading Fiction
Is your life so busy you're wondering how you are going to
find time to read more, especially when it's just for
'pleasure'? ...
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