IWSG Question of the Month: Being a writer, when you’re reading someone else’s work, what stops you from finishing a book/throws you out of the story/frustrates you the most about other people’s books?
Oh gosh, there’s any slew of things and it’ll range from griping the remainder of the way through to just giving up.
I remember one high fantasy series I got about 10 books in and just stopped. Right in the middle of the book. I could not take the sheer number of typos that were in it. Not to mention it wasn’t all that interesting either after the previous book, but that was one of the times that I just plain gave up. And it was a traditionally published book as well from a relatively well known author.
Granted there was also that urban fantasy book that I got at most 2 pages in and just stopped. It was another series I had been reading for a while, but between not remembering who some of the side characters were (it had been a while since I read the previous one) and the note at the beginning of how to read the book, I kind of ended up just being done. There was stuff from previous books that was getting on my nerves also. That one I mourned because I really loved those characters and that world.
There was one paranormal romance book I pushed through to the end, but most of the time I wanted to beat the main character over the head and yell at her to get back to the plot. Her two love interests could wait. I figured it was a romance thing. I’ve never done well with heavy romance. Or at least that being the main part of the plot. Science fiction and fantasy is usually my happy place. I’ll enjoy some romance mixed in.
Which after that, I’m sure you know how I felt plowing through some of those popular YA series.
In short, there’s not really one thing, but a lot of little things can throw me off and make me want to quit depending on how bad it is and how determined I am to finish. Losing track of who is talking to the point where I have to reread the passage several times is one that throws me out. Hyper-focusing on something that doesn’t need to be in the middle of something major happening. The list could go on, but it really is on a case-by-case basis.
Lately though I haven’t sat down to read for enjoyment. Much of my time is spent reading through nonfiction for research. Not necessarily even the whole book – just looking for reference. Many articles and blogs. My to-read list is at “all hope is lost” levels and I have no idea where to start. As things stand at the moment, it’s okay if it sits there a while longer. Perhaps later in the year as things settle down I can take another crack at it. There are a number of books I need to donate/sell that I’ll likely never read and I’d rather they find their way into the hands of people who will enjoy them.
About the Insecure Writer’s Support Group
J.C. Jackson 
All hope is lost – I think my reading pile is there as well.
I gave up on a very long fantasy series when I realized the next book went way back before the series began and it appeared there would be no end in sight. I do need closure at some point.
Paranormal Romance tweaks me the wrong way. I had tried Christine Feehan and found all the books to be the same. It was seriously the same set-up, same stereotypes, same plot. That was after I tried Laurell K. Hamilton’s Merry Gentry series. I recall every scene towards the end of the series had the main character “screaming his name”… and I wondered how she could keep track of all the names considering she was with a different guy each time. *eyeroll*
I do find I’m less picky than other readers, though, which tends to make me a terrible beta-reader. I will let myself enjoy the story, but it makes me less than helpful when people are looking for stuff that doesn’t work.