Musing Mondays is a meme hosted at MizB’s Should Be Reading. This week’s musing asks:
Do you prefer character-driven stories or plot-driven stories?
I always get more involved in a book that has good, engaging characters. But I also don’t like books where you can’t make head or tail of what’s going on, or worse, when nothing really happens. Honestly, neither extreme is desirable. But if I had to give a preference, I’d give it to the characters. A bad story line can’t spoil the book as much as bad characters can.
It would be hard for me to name my favourite book plots, but I can easily name favourite book characters! One of my favourite authors (and I have mentioned him too many times in this context) is Stephen King – I know very few authors, who write can characters like him.
When I can relate to the characters, or when they seem real – the plot doesn’t matter so much. Which is also why I have come to enjoy reading short stories this much.
Tabula Rasa 
Oh I like your point about the short stories. I've read a few collections this year and really enjoyed them, but you're right – the characters certainly make them! I'm a character-girl too 🙂
thebookgatherer.blogspot.com/2011/08/monday-musings_22.html
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I like character over plot, too. If you give me a book with great characters and great writing, I hardly care what's going on. Plus, with interesting characters, something interesting is bound to happen anyway. A lot of the best writers let the characters drive the plot, rather than the other way around.
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True, a bad character can really destroy a book.
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I definitely will have to think on that for a moment. plot versus character. Okay, Since its plot which is the theme or subject of a novel and not the story line I can go with being character driven.
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Characters rule! 🙂 A good plot helps but if the characters 'bite' then it's just not worth the read.
House Millar – Musing Mondays
Aine
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I prefer great characters BUT the plot has to move. It doesn't have to be the greatest but it has to make progress. I LOVE a great character.
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Its the characterization that makes or break the story. But in certain genres like mysteries and suspence novels plot has to be engrossing along with characters.
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Sorry for the late reply, thanks for stopping by 🙂
Julie @ Read Handed – "A lot of the best writers let the characters drive the plot"; I couldn't have said it better!
Sidne,The BCR – That's true. But I did mean story line by 'plot' though!
Harish – That's what I thought too, at first, but come to think of it, imagine a complicated mystery or crime thriller with bland characters – I won't like that either!
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