Saturday, May 14, 2011

Do You Skip Scenes When You Read a Book?

Hi Everyone,

One day, I was talking to a friend on the telephone about what my sister said about my book, Addiction. My friend told me there are parts of a book she skims. I didn't think to ask her what part because I was too stunned? lol

My first thought was why buy a book and skip any part of it? Then, I thought about it some more. I had just finished reading a NY Times best seller, and I remembered reading some parts of the story quickly to get to the action. I love to read romantic suspense, mysteries and espionage, but when they put in more than a sentence or two of setting, I tend to pass over them. I want to find out what is going to happen next.

Other people skip love scenes and some skim over description of characters if there's too much. Anything that is excessive readers tend to skip over.

Have a wonderful week, and I'll see you next Sunday.

Sandy
http://www.eirelander-publishing.com
http://www.skaymarshall.com

23 comments:

Janice Seagraves said...

I tend to skim or skip over internal dialogue. I think it is dead boring.

Unknown said...

Sandy--I try not to, but sometimes a narrative will go on about something, and I tend to skip those. In other words, the telling instead of showing. Often it's backstory.
I don't skip internsl dialogue unless it's downright boring.
Sex scenes that go on longer than a page--I will skip. I simply do not need physical descriptions of an actual sex scene. Good question!
Celia

Sandy said...

Thanks, Janice. It's not supposed to be boring. Internal dialogue should be active and let you know what's going on in the story. I admit though it can be boring depending on the author. Without it, the reader can get lost.

Sandy said...

Thanks, Celia. Yes, too much back story is information dump and not needed in one spot.

Stacey Joy Netzel said...

I'll read the first sex scene in a book, but if a second or third go on too long or are too descriptive, I'll skim to make sure I'm not missing any important dialogue. Setting that goes on too long gets skimmed, too. Just a couple sentences to set the scene and I'm good. (Now that I said that, I hope that's what I do in my own stuff! lol)

Molly Daniels said...

I'm with Stacey on this one: I've caught myself skimming over long drawn out sex scenes after the first one. Unless there's a new element involved (they're in the shower or playing with toys), I'll skip it and go onto their 'after' dialogue. Sometimes I just get tired of reading sex scene after sex scene; it just depends on my mood.

Anonymous said...

I don't generally skip parts of novels, though I admit I've skimmed lengthy prologues and will skip introductions, etc, if they don't pertain to the story.

Non-fiction reading, typically something I don't choose to read, I'll skip stuff.

Carol R. said...

In general, I'll read every word the first time around. The second time, not so much. Sometimes I'll skip scenes or even chapters to get to the main part of the novel. My favorite books are like old friends, though. I want to savor every moment with them.

Carol R. Wood
Brave Blue Worlds - Come Fly with Me

LuAnn said...

I honestly try to read all of a book, but sometimes, the author gets way too descriptive and I skim through sections. For example, in one book I read, the author described the entire process of a character getting up in the morning, dressing, preparing breakfast and eating. It was just a bit of overkill!

Pat Dale said...

I have to agree with what the others have said. I like to read the whole book, but some authors insist on information overkill and I skip that. I rarely stop reading in the middle of a book but if there are too many spots where I thumb through page after page of nonessential stuff, I give up.
I'm not going to skip because of some telling; some is necessary in most books. But if a scene can be illustrative through dialoge, why bore your readers with narration?
Best to you, Sandy!
Pat Dale

Ilona Fridl said...

I find myself dozing off if an author goes into too detailed description. I don't need to know about an antique bowl if it's not really part of the story. Too much research can kill a good book.

Sandy said...

Thanks, Stacey. I hope the same thing. lol

Thanks, Molly. I agree with both of you on the sex scenes. Besides that, they're darn hard to write and keep fresh.

Thank you, Dellani. I try not to skip anything I'm reading, but sometimes if it goes too long I can't help myself. Smile.

Sandy said...

Thank you, Carol R. It's death for an author if they don't write fresh material.

Thanks, LuAnne. I can remember when I wrote like that, and I'm so glad that work didn't get published.

Thanks, Dale. You're so right about using the dialogue to show rather than tell.

Ilona, thank you so much. You're so right about the research.

K.T. Bishop said...

I read the whole book, to get my money's worth, even if I pay two bucks...

Sandra Sookoo said...

It depends on alot of factors. The author's voice can kill it for me. Describing mundane tasks that no one cares about, boring conversations that go nowhere, etc. I don't mind descriptions or love scenes--unless the characters are going at it like bunnies and then it's like "enough already" lol So my answer? It depends on the book LOL

Sandy said...

Thanks, K.T.

Thanks, Sandra. I agree with your assessment. Not all books are equal. Smile. So, it does depend on the book.

Donna Marie Rogers said...

I get bored fast if there is page after page of internal dialogue. I also skim over excessive description; like Stacey said, a few senetcnes to set the scene and I'm good. Sex scenes I rarely skip...LOL Unless there's one in every chapter and it's not an erotic. ;-)

Donna Marie Rogers said...

Make that 'sentences'. LOL I can spell, honest I can...

Lightnin101 said...

Whether I skim or not, in many cases, depends on several things. The subject, material and even the author can make a difference for me on whether to skim or not.

For example; I can become so riveted with a Steven King novel that every word saturates itself into the story, making skimming unthinkable. But there have been times when I have been reading a great book by Tom Clancy, an author that goods into deep detail in his novels, that skimming is much easier, but does not reduce the value of the story.

Steve Pierce

MIa Marlowe said...

If I find myself skipping too much, it's a safe bet the book is not really for me for some reason. However, if the writing is strong, I treasure every word, regardless of what sort of scene it is.

Sandy said...

Oh, Donna, I don't like a lot of internalization unless it moves the story forward. Thanks for your comment. I know you can spell. Grin.

Sandy said...

Yay, Steve! A reader is here. The only book I read of Clancy's was Red October. I skimmed a lot in that book, but still enjoyed most of it.

I can't believe I'm going to say this, but I have read a Stephen King novel. Why, you ask? I'm a scaredy cat. I saw a couple of his stories turned into movies, and I had to leave several times during it because it was too scary for me. lol

Thanks for your comment, Steve. Have you ever read a romance? Grin.

Sandy said...

Thank you, Mia. I love your stories.