Hi gang. After a long labor and delivery, a long six weeks of sleepless nights, and a long wading-through-a-mostly-negative-critique-of-my-recent-work, I’m back from self-imposed “maternity leave” and have been wondering where my brain went! Please help me learn to write again with your comments. What do you hate to see in a book that a) you read to the end, or b) that you cannot stand to read to the end?
Here are mine:
Category A – Characters who are so dumb that I can see they shouldn’t be making the choices they are making, but they do anyway. (How did this end up in MY book, then?) I hate them because I waste my time reading to the end in hopes that I am wrong about where this plot is headed, and then when I am not wrong, I throw the book against the wall.
Category B – Characters I can’t connect with. Distant voice. Unclear motivation. (How did this end up in my book too, then?)
I’m thinking of making a change in my life and writing the kinds of books my new cute daughter likes. Her favorite book is THE HUNGRY CATERPILLAR, board version. But she only likes one page—the title page, with its rows of colored dots. I think I can handle that kind of writing.
Thanks for reading my totally inconsistent blog and dealing with my whinery. It’s good to be back! Again. 
I just read a historical novel (Amber, written in the forties and apparently risque for that time…). The heroine was so dumb and trampy I kept reading hoping she’s get syphillis and die horribly. It didn’t happen. I rarely ever NOT finish a book- no matter how crappy. I hate books that feel too “formula” if that makes sense. I guess I’m not connecting with the characters, but some books feel like watching someone move pieces around on a board “then so and so went here because the author needs him to in order to make this plot work”.
Awww! Well congrats on the baby! Children’s books are hard to write and publish. Not sure you want to go there, hehehe. We all go through this stuff as writers. I hate my writing at least once a week. Or day. Sometimes hour. *cough*
Just write through it, and if you can’t stand what you’re doing, go find something else that makes you happy for awhile and come back later when you’re ready.
I totally thought whinerys were against our religious beliefs.
I think self criticism is often the worst kind because if we hang on to it, then it holds us back. Move forward. You are incredibly talented, and I’m sure your mojo will come.
Much love always!
There is one thing I dislike reading. When a character breaks character suddenly. When the ending wraps up sloppily or abruptly. When things get too complicated by a) too many characters; b) lots of strangely named places/proper nouns etc; c) redundancy in certain vocabulary. I mean, you can only use vivacious so many times.
Good luck with everything. Miss you.