As a writer, I’m upping my game as a reader. Writers are readers. And if you’re a somewhat avid reader and a published writer, you may have incurred pet peeves and/or preferences. Why? Well, for me I’m always wearing both hats: writer and reader. In college, as an English major with a Concentration in Film Theory, I wrote numerous papers about films, including the subtext within a story, factors beyond the sheer entertainment. For a while, I thought I’d never again watch a movie at face value. But it’s been a while since I’ve deconstructed films. Now, I’m not even sure what I observed in the days of close analysis and writing papers after every movie viewing.
But as a reader, I can’t let go of being a writer. I see and hear words, descriptions, basically the use of language, and I can’t escape it! For example, even if a story is somewhat compelling, using the same adjective two or three times in a paragraph turns me off. It comes across as, well, lazy. And I’ve seen it in bestsellers, like the one I’m reading now. And sometimes the words or thoughts seem intrusive or thrown in via a parenthetical clause. All writers use parentheticals to some degree, whether cordoned off by commas, parentheses, or Em dashes. Here’s a parenthetical example from a book by an author I truly admire. I randomly opened to a page realizing there’d be some sentence structure issue, at least for me as a reader. “Down the street, a stitch burning in her side, she hailed a cab.” Yes, I get that it’s a compound-complex sentence with a parenthetical clause. My preference: “She hailed a cab. A stitch burned in her side.” Personally, the rearrangement gives more sharpness to what she’s experiencing then simply tossing “a stitch burning in her side” in mid-sentence. And I’d eliminate “Down the street” as an introductory phrase since it’s too general and doesn’t add to the description. Am I being picayune? Most likely, yet, one of the author’s books is my favorite after I chose it for my sister’s book club. Maybe that’s why I’m so critical with the current read! I use that example because the author at this level will always exhibit moments of brilliance. I’m pointing out as my personal preference, parenthetically speaking!
Also, this year, I’ve read a few books with awkward descriptions and sentence structure that read like first or second drafts. Of course, readers, especially of fiction, have their own favorites. I’ve had books recommended to me that were blasé in my opinion, and, at times, downright unlikeable due to the main character, the writing, or both!
But there are other matters that I’d classify as my prose peeves and preferences. I’m not sure if they are trends, but I see them quite often. I’m ready to read a few classics to escape modern-day fiction.
For pet peeves, I’ll focus on parenthetical expressions. As mentioned, there are three ways to insert a parenthetical expression into a sentence: comma, parentheses, or Em dash. Typically, I will use commas and sporadically the Em dash. Why do I avoid parentheses? I think they look too informal for works of fiction. And I’m seeing them everywhere, like on overload!!
First pet peeve: A novel littered with parentheses to offset an aside. It’s supposed to be a signal that the expression is purely coincidental or spontaneous, i.e. not really necessary to advance the plot. I guess that’s the intent, right? I’ve read online that using parentheses is meant to be a STRONG expression to disrupt the sentence. If that’s the case, it does seem like author intrusion! But, as a reader, it steps me out of the story as if the author throws it in as their own perspective, not the protagonist’s thoughts. And, it’s got neon lights around it as opposed to a mere aside. How can I ignore something in parentheses that screams, “look at me!” My take? It’s overdone in many novels I’ve read in recent years. Of course, I’ll have to do my research and see if older tomes utilize parentheses for parenthetical expressions. Parentheses work maybe for different forms of writing, maybe a speech or editorial piece or blog? When I use parentheses in a blog, typically I write (NOTE: …) and then proceed with the information. I don’t use them for writing novels. Feel free to take a different position on the matter, it’s just my preference!
Second pet peeve: Posing a list of questions. Okay, I get it! They are questions the protagonist is asking internally. Right? My take? Enough with the rhetorical questions. I read one bestseller a few years back that had an entire paragraph of nothing but questions. And this style was repeated throughout the book? At some point, my answers were: I don’t know and I don’t care! I’m seeing to many series of questions in novels. Think of a more creative way to engage the reader. Don’t keep asking me what I think or what I’m supposed to know what the protagonist may be thinking! It doesn’t engage me. Just tell me the story!
Third pet peeve: Honestly, I should classify this one as a preference because it doesn’t disqualify my love for a story. I prefer chapter names. Actually, I love chapter names. Any author who creates chapter titles gets a gold star from yours truly. It’s like that extra layer of intimacy with the story and an understanding of the author’s writing flair. And, it helps me remember what’s going on in the story. If the book, fiction or non-fiction, is fully engaging, I’ll recall what happens in a named chapter, like a story within a story.
So, as I crawl back to writing my third novel, with full-fledged guilt for abandoning it. And, of course, I’ll continue to read. I’m inspired by everything I read, and I’d admire any author that finishes a project and gets the book published. And like an engineering professor told me years ago about my college writing courses. Just keep what works for you and toss everything else aside. You learn from it all. Happy writing!