What makes you keep reading?

[emmagrant01]

A few days ago I asked what your fic-reading back buttons offenses are, and the response was kind of overwhelming. And they say LJ is dead, really?

But I felt bad about it because it kind of turned into a bit of a snark-fest of negativity, and that wasn't my intention at all. So now I want to try to ask another question. I'm very curious to see if this one will get a similarly enthusiastic response. :-P

What about a fic makes you want to keep reading? What are the things you see in those first few paragraphs that suck you in and make you think, "Oh, this is going to be good!"?

For me, it's a strong opening with good action or perfectly IC dialogue, where the author is showing (rather than telling) something happening that I haven't seen before and simply can't look away from. A really good fic throws me in the middle of an interesting situation from the get-go and gets me invested in the plot and in the characters immediately.

What about you?

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Comments

[xylodemon.livejournal.com]

Good characterizations, a strong opening, IC dialogue, and smooth prose. I don't much care if the plot is an original idea, I will cheerfully read a common trope or scenario a hundred times, as long as the writing draws me in right away.

[emmagrant01.livejournal.com]

I have a few tropes that I adore and will happily read over and over. They're independent of pairing and fandom, which is kind of interesting. It can be Qui/Obi, Harry/Draco, Kirk/McCoy, Sherlock/John -- same story, different characters, and I LOVE IT.

[geneva2010.livejournal.com]

It's easier to ID the stuff that we hate in fic than what we love. Good writing isn't really an answer, but for someone like me that knows very little about writing, it's hard to get more specific.

Did I like the summary? (YES)
Anything in the warnings I should avoid? (NO)
Did I read the first page or maybe chapter and am I still interested? (YES and YES)

Pretty much green light after that, and hoping to be entertained!

[emmagrant01.livejournal.com]

So what is it that will keep you interested after that first chapter?

[who_la_hoop]

I think it's easier to put into words what turns you off a fic rather than what makes one a good read. "Good writing" draws me in and keeps me reading - a firm grasp of grammar, a smooth way with words, and something interesting to hold my attention, whether that's character or plot.

Probably not someone waking up and eating their breakfast, or looking in a mirror and describing what they see :D

[numberthescars.livejournal.com]

Oh, what a great question! I have to agree that a strong opening sucks me in. A surprising or mysterious first sentence, like esama's ("It is unnecessary to visit the scenes") in her excellent Sherlock/HP crossover Whispers in Corners, can make me curious enough to keep reading. However, a good first line needs to be followed up with some plot development or a fascinating new take on the characters to really hold my interest. The exception to this, in my case, is truly beautiful writing. I'm a sucker for lyrical or poetic writing styles--take anything by the talented holyfant or professorfangirl for examples.

Slightly off-topic, but I find that a good summary can do the same thing for me as a great opening line. The summary for MirithGriffin's Cold Snap is one of my favorites: The Mayo Clinic prescription for hypothermia is this: Tea. Blanket fort. Sex. All right, it doesn't come right out and say that on the website. But Sherlock can read between the lines.

[emmagrant01.livejournal.com]

That fic sounds fascinating, actually. I think I need to start writing better summaries...

[mijeli.livejournal.com]

perfectly IC dialogue

THIS, so very much. I can pretty much always tell whether I'll like a story from the first few lines an author lets their characters exchange. Tone, word choice, rhythm - hell, even punctuation. All kinks of mine! :D

Some fics start with a lengthy narrative which might be AMAZING even.. and then their characterisation doesn't convince me. I'll feel bad, but I'll leave. However, no yawn-worthy backstory makes me click the back button if broken up by clever banter. So yeah, for me it's mostly in the dialogue.

(Exceptions are short-ish fics that live off their writing style, and that alone. The ones with disrupted timelines or in that dreamlike tone that makes you all wistful. And those I will stick with, too!)

You know what this reminds me of? Metaphors :) Good, original and well-fitted metaphors make me believe in a writer's writing. Whoever comes up with a new metaphor and makes it sound right, can - I believe - write anything at all. ♥

Oh, definitely in character is paramount

[lillian78.livejournal.com]

Well since we all are aware any fan fic is an automatic AU it's quite important to that the author shows me why a character I know from books/tv/movies can account for their actions in the fic. Since I read mostly slash pairings I don't want to see the characters jump into bed by page three with no explanation as to why they got there. So, obviously PWP's are not a favorite of mine.

[pennswoods.livejournal.com]

This is so much harder to answer. I possess the language and concepts necessary to complain about things I don't like, but I lack the same to talk about the literary merits of something. I can say things like plot, pacing, characterization, etc., but I'm not sure if I really know what those words mean or if they are still too vague to describe what it is that really hooks me.

When I read fanfic, I do so with a purpose. I need that fic to trigger a specific emotion (wonder, angst, arousal, joy, heartbreak) and in the first few pages/paragraphs, that fic needs to begin to trigger or hint at the potential to trigger just that response I need. In this regard, I find summaries, recs, and tags a terrific tool for helping me screen fics that are likely to do that.

But I can only talk about this in emotional and not literary terms. Short answer: I keep reading when a fic begins to elicit the emotion I am most open to experiencing at that moment.

[helens78]

Pretty much the same as you, really! I want to feel like I know the characters in the first few paragraphs, and hopefully, know what they're going to get up to and what needs are going to drive them through the story.

[belphemon.livejournal.com]

I do a terrible thing. If I dont know the writer, I read the begining and the end of the story. The characters must progress forward in some way. If I wonder how we got here, I will read the whole story.

[emmagrant01.livejournal.com]

I hate spoilers, so I can't imagine doing that, but I've heard others say they do it, for a variety of reasons. ;-)

[darth-kittius.livejournal.com]

I guess we just need a few good questions to keep us talking!! I still check in daily, I just feel like there's less to say and less conversations to be had.

The single easiest thing to keep me reading is to have realistic, IC voices. No matter what fandom I'm reading in, it's an IC voice that will keep me reading even through a squick or non-preferred plot point.

[tripperfunster.livejournal.com]

Along with the obvious of good writing, UST pulls me in every time and keeps me reading until the end.

As much as I love porn (and even pwp) I REALLY love the dynamics of how two characters get together. First time fics are my favourite because of that. I want longing. I want insecurities, I want tons and tons of UST.

[pennswoods.livejournal.com]

Oh god yes. Sometimes it's hard to tell if the author can deliver this after just reading the first paragraphs. Some of my favorite Sherlock fics take a while to build because the UST is gradual and is woven into a complex story. When those hook me, you cannot tear me away from my computer.

[asimplechord.livejournal.com]

Beyond the first visual inspection - spelling correct, no obvious punctuation problems (esp. when it comes to dialog) - good characterization and clean writing style.

[erynn999.livejournal.com]

Good (or at least quite consistent) characterization. Internal consistency. An interesting or intriguing plot. Decent character development. Use of language. Generally speaking, a lack of things that really squick me out. A sense of fun. Hurt/comfort with enough comfort thank you very much.

[shadowfireflame.livejournal.com]

You're right, this is much harder. I like good characterization right from the beginning, a clean style, and something in the beginning of the story that intrigues me--perhaps a problem a character has that I want to see resolved or something missing that I would like to see completed. (Or, you know, sex.)

But as I said in answer to your previous question, I will put up with the worst writing whatsoever if it has a fascinating premise or a rare kink I'm looking for. :)

[reddwarfer.livejournal.com]

I like when there's tension in the story. Nice formatting, no/few spag errors, and interesting dialogue. I tend to give most fics with my pairings a try unless I don't like the warnings or it's out and out pointless fluff. The stories that really keep me are ones with either a really involved or intriguing plot or ones that have a slow build to a relationship.

[girlthatsaidno.livejournal.com]

A good story at the minimum will always have good writing basics (meaning writing mechanics like grammar, flow, etc.) plus one more component. The extra component can be an interesting plot, complex characters, witty dialog, steamy porn, etc.

Once in a while, though, you come across a story that has all of those things, which makes me want to kidnap the author and make them write stories for me till the day I die. *sigh*

[lauramcewan.livejournal.com]

I have a few authors I'd like to do that to, as well.

[quiet000001.livejournal.com]

I'm not actually that picky about what I'll read, so it's not so much the beginning of the story that makes a difference to me unless there are screaming errors that I just can't read past, but what moves a story to the 'recommend/re-read forever!' pile is when I get to the end and I want more, not because the story feels unfinished but because it was so well crafted that I just want to spend more time in that world with those characters even though the central conflict is resolved.

[emmagrant01.livejournal.com]

when I get to the end and I want more, not because the story feels unfinished but because it was so well crafted that I just want to spend more time in that world with those characters even though the central conflict is resolved.

Yes! Oh, when that happens, it's heaven!

[angelbabe_cj]

I agree with all the people who've said it's far easier to pinpoint your dislikes than your likes.

- Characterisation: I can accept a pretty large range of things to be IC, but as long as the fic is internally consistent and it doesn't strike me as wrong I'm happy.
- Good banter, particularly for Sherlock fic I really prefer the tone of banter to be just right. E.g. Sherlock can and will be cutting to pretty much the point of cruelty but generally not without some reason.
- Interesting Summary. That has to have grabbed me in the first place most of the time.
- Anything that makes me laugh or smile always wins.
- Plot. It can be a massive trope but a good plotline is always a winner. Intriguing mystery, some excuse for enforced proximity, I'm not too fussed, but a good plot is always a good start.

[emmagrant01.livejournal.com]

Sherlock can and will be cutting to pretty much the point of cruelty but generally not without some reason

There's a really fine line there, isn't there? There was a fic series I read that I loved, and then close to the end Sherlock turned really nasty towards John, and I couldn't understand why. There didn't seem to be any reason for it, and it was never resolved. It really soured the whole fic for me. Until that point I was ready to rec it and leave a long glowing review, but I think I ended up just quietly slinking away. :-/

[katieupsidedown.livejournal.com]

Mostly snappy dialogue or a trope I really enjoy is what hooks me.

I had a really strange fic experience this weekend. I started reading a long story, and 5 chapters in I started getting indicators that it was going to a weird, Mary Sue place. At that point I felt that the weirdness wasn't that bad, and I was invested. I kept going. By chapter nine it got totally fucking weird and completely Mary-Sued all to hell, but I STILL kept reading because I had spent over an hour reading already at this point.

Then they gave the Sue'd character magic wings in the next chapter and I ragequit.

My room mate was like, "What? You read all that weird shit and then you quit over WINGS?" but that was it. That was apparently the line it needed to cross. If it had stopped where it was on the weirdness scale I would have kept reading despite not actually liking the story much just because of time invested. But it added one more special power and I was DONE.

[emmagrant01.livejournal.com]

Bwahaha! I know I shouldn't laugh, but that is fucking hysterical, because I can SO see it happening! ;-)

[coendou.livejournal.com]

I read fanfic for the characters I love, period. Secondarily, to see those characters do interesting things. So you'd better get me right into the plot and reassure me that everyone is IC. If I get a few minutes into reading and don't have those, I'll lose interest. But if I do, you've likely hooked me and I will barrel through to the end of 100k words or obsessively check for updates to a WIP if that's what it takes.

Also, I prefer writing that isn't overdone. Total honesty: Fellowship of the Ring was a slog for me and I haven't gotten around to the other two. I know, I'm totally pedestrian. I've long since accepted that. I'm not here for fancy prose, just characters and plot, so if you have a straightforward writing style that lets those shine rather than drowning them in metaphor I will be hooked that much more quickly. Of course, I do appreciate more poetic pieces now and then, but in small doses. I cannot read more than 5000 words of that, maybe less depending on my mood and what else is in my reading queue.

[emmagrant01.livejournal.com]

Total honesty: Fellowship of the Ring was a slog for me and I haven't gotten around to the other two. I know, I'm totally pedestrian

Oh, me too. I tried to read after the first LOTR movie, and I just couldn't do it. For the exact same reasons. :-P

[capra-maritimus.livejournal.com]

Pitch-perfect banter/IC and the occasional unexpected (doesn't have to be big, just something not done to death). Also, comfort with my hurt. :D Sex that focusses on/conveys well what the characters are feeling.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

I know from the first sentence, sometimes--if the first lines suck me in that means the author actually took a moment to work on their opening, or at least is naturally clever at knowing how to start. If it makes me say, "Whoa, WHAT?" in a good way, I'm there.

[pir8fancier.livejournal.com]

Voice. This is a similar animal to character--and some people might argue that they are the same but I happen to think they are different. I think that if a writer has a really compelling voice, you're willing to stay in the story regardless if it isn't particularly in character or even if it contains a plotline that doesn't really grab you, or is based on a squick that normally would have you not even get past the summary. A really cracking voice will band-aid a number of "sins" and can let an author slowly unfold a plotline, whereas a weak voice will demand that you slam the reader with a compelling plot pretty much from the word go.

[tripperfunster.livejournal.com]

My brother in law has that voice when he talks. Seriously. It's like everything he says is mesmerizing, and sometimes, when he's done his story, I'm like ... THAT'S IT? He has a fantastic cadence and a hint of a New Orleans accent, and honestly, he should have been a character actor.

Too bad he doesn't write.

[foxestacado.livejournal.com]

IC, witty dialogue; good pacing; suspense; angst; hitting my buttons/kinks; engaging descriptions and visuals; novel situations.

Haha, there's more, and so much I can't even describe. When it's good writing, it's just magic. As a wanna-be writer, it's so mystifying what makes "good writing" and what just isn't as engaging.

[dysonrules.livejournal.com]

I'll read anything that starts interesting and stays interesting. I don't care if it's OOC, chock full of errors, or what, as long as it makes me keep turning the pages to find out what is happening or how it ends.

I also love not knowing what is going on. Many beginning writers like to tell you exactly what is happening and SO MUCH BACKSTORY, OMG. It's so much more fun to be thrown into a situation and then yelling, "WHAT? WHAT IS HAPPENING?" while frantically reading.

[bluemoondreamer.livejournal.com]

It's so much more fun to be thrown into a situation and then yelling, "WHAT? WHAT IS HAPPENING?" while frantically reading.

Same. :)

While I do love dramatic irony (one character believes something to be true, but we -the readers- know the situation is something much different) I definitely prefer to be dropped into the middle of the action and have to keep reading to figure out what's going on.

[secretsolitaire.livejournal.com]

I don't know if I can put it into words, but sometimes I just feel as soon as I start reading that I am in good hands with an author. The prose is smooth, the characters ring true, and there's something interesting going on, whether it's emotional tension or some plot scenario that establishes a conflict or surprise or whatever.