I sincerely there are few (if any) male readers between the ages of 8 and 19 years old, but perhaps some of you out there know some boys in this age range who might be able to help a graduate student with a little informal research for a lecture he is planning to give in January.
Without unduly influencing the answers, the questions I am curious to hear answers to are as follows:
* What plots or types of stories are you tired of seeing in fiction? Any good examples?
* What’s the most recent book that made you want to close a book within the first three pages? Why?
* Have you ever read a book that felt “fake,” like the author was trying too hard to achieve something but failed? What was the book, and did you finish it anyway?
There is a hidden irony in that the readers I really want to hear answer these questions are non-readers and reluctant readers who might not be as aware of their reading preferences. Boys who are turned off to reading usually aren’t turned off by the books themselves; the issues that drive most boys away from reading tend to be social. But I’ve read enough books aimed at middle grade and young adult readers that I strongly feel miscalculate the desires of the intended audience. But I want to hear it from the boys to know for sure, I need to know what they’re thinking.
So how about it? Know any boys? Know any boys who’d be willing to answer these questions? I don’t need names, all confidentially will be maintained, the freedom to speak is greatly encouraged. What I do not need are any more studies and surveys and research that discusses preferences in reading subjects, or general trends in reading. I got those a-plenty and almost NONE of them actually provided their subjects open questions. How can you tell what a boy is thinking by having him check off boxes and categories? (As if we can ever really tell what a boy is thinking, no matter how articulate!)
Teachers? Librarians? Parents? Feel free to get in touch with me directly.
(Note: the three questions above were changed slightly on 1 November 2009 to more accurately reflect my curiosities.)
I asked my 18-year-old son—don’t know if he’ll respond. Also, I have a friend with 11-year-old twin boys. The problem is pinning them down long enough to get some answers. Good luck!
17 year old and off Bidungsroman site
I had fad reading like when harry potter came out, there are endless books of kids who go to magic school and now the latest fad reading twilight and im in a sea of angsty vampire books. NO FANFICTION.
The first three pages have to be filled with a playful enigma or it has to start out relate-able. For example, Pendragon by DJ Machale starts out with a normal kid meeting a girl before this basketball game. Then his uncle (the call of heroism tells him to leave the girl and come on an adventure).
They cant be too perfect. Plus, they cant go form heroic to docuhebag
I’m not sure where I’m supposed to leave my response to this question, but I think here will do >.>
1) Since my favorite genre of books is fantasy/scifi, the plot I would have to say I would not miss if I never saw it again would be the “hero’s family is killed/captured by villan, hero spends entire book vying for revenge, finally gets it” whitewash. Yes, there are authors who play off of this genre and create something truly unique and awesome, but a LARGE majority do not, and become ‘trashy airplane novels.’
2) Personally, the only thing that has ever made me close a book within three pages is a lack of time. I have a rule to read at least 50 pages to see if anything can be salvaged.
3) Lack of personality or adherence to a stereotype personality. No person is a true fit for a stereotype, and what are book characters if not attempts to truly recreate people? I was going to say lack of drive as well, but there have been several good exceptions.