from Rosie
1. Good Dialogue
I simply do not like cheesy dialogue. It’s not my thing. And I can’t stand stilted dialogue, either. Dialogue that drags the story down does not belong in any good novel. I like dialogue that adds to the plot and helps you to get to know the characters better. Dialogue should be fresh, personal, and be absolutely OWNED by the characters saying it. It has to be something they would actually say.
Now, of course, it’s hard to keep dialogue original
and interesting. I mean, of course, when a boy surprises a girl who’s just dropped her books and papers everywhere, it’s not like they’re going to be terribly witty and gripping. The boy will say “Oh, hullo. D’ya need any help?” and the girl will go, “No, nnnoooo, I’ve got this, thanks.” I
understand that! The only thing that I ask is that the dialogue really fit in the story. It helps to make the story so much more enjoyable and memorable.
2. Atmosphere
I love it when an author creates a world that seems real, a world that you can immerse yourself in so deep that you forget that you have to come out. Wodehouse does that to me. So does Agatha Christie. In my favorite of Christie’s novels, Death Comes As The End, I was drawn in completely to the Ancient Egyptian world that she had created. I even became the heroine, which since it was a murder/romance story was really stressful, actually, but I couldn’t help it. It was just So Good.
3. Nice heroes
I know I put this in third place, but I actually think it’s the thing I care most about in a book. Which may or may not have something to do with the fact that I’m a girl - I leave to you to figure that out :P What can I say? All girls like to read about romance. However, that being said, having nice heroes is very important to me. By “nice” I don’t mean perfect, at all, at all. I recognize that no one is perfect, not even a hero in a novel. And it’s interesting to read about how they deal with their faults/problems.
I just have problems reading heroes of the type that generally seem to inhabit more and more of our modern romance novels. The kind that has perfect hair, a hawk nose, and an ATTITUDE! The kind that thinks they own the world. The kind that has every lady’s attention and knows it. The kind that doesn’t hesitate to say nasty things. I simply cannot enjoy reading the story arc of a man who starts off as a monster, and I think it’s because I tend to put myself in the heroine’s place when I read a novel. That may seem weird to some of you, but it’s what I do . . .
And that is why I like “nice heroes.” I would much rather read a story with a more humble and honest hero, even if it means he’s only “average good-looking.” I actually don’t care about perfect hair, funny as it sounds. Because in books, perfect hair seems to go with egotistical, stuck-up heroes. Give me any time a hero who struggles with shyness or a lack of confidence, and I’ll give you the one with the designer label. Only I warn you: he comes with the ability to charm you, betray you, and leave you sobbing in a chair. They’re dangerous, peoples.
Thank you so much for having me, Heidi! I really enjoyed myself! And I hope I didn’t make too many enemies with that last point! Happy February, everybody! :P
(Note from Heidi: Thank you so much for sharing, Rosie!)
And... would you like to share three of your favorite things in a guest post? You don’t have to be a writer to qualify! This series is
by story lovers
for story lovers.
For post specifics/guidelines you can see the initial post
here, then send Heidi a quick email at ladyofanorien(at)gmail(dot)com. (Don’t be shy. I’d love to have you! :))
Heidi Peterson is a lover of wide-spreading land, summer dust, white pounding waterfalls, and mountain tops; also of good dark coffee and rich stories. Most of all she's a lover of the One who is the Word, the Word made flesh. You can visit her additional blog (where she shares more about books, movies, and further marvels of life) at: Along the Brandywine.
