So you just finished reading a great story, and you turn the page to find an excerpt of the next book. What do you do, read it or skip it?
I skip it and here’s why. The story was just resolved for me. I just want to think about it for a while. My mindset when I just finish a book is just not prepared for diving right into another, even by the same author, along the same storyline. I won’t start reading anything else until that evening at the earliest. And most likely, it’ll be something by a different author.
The only exception is books that end on cliffhangers. Such books will annoy me (you pay for a complete story!), but my annoyance will be mitigated by the presence of an excerpt. Usually, the excerpt resolves the cliffhanger, and I come away satisfied. Usually.
So, do you read those excerpts, or do you skip them?
I usually read it, but that’s because I have no self-control when it comes to the written word. I’m one of those who reads the forward and notes on every classic, and the cereal box if it’s setting in front of me too long.
If I was feeling that amount of closure that you described, I’d probably wait a day or two before I read the excerpt. One problem I have with reading them is when I get the book I tend to skim or skip the first chapter because I’ve already read it, and that messes up my ability to actually get into the book. Also, I’ll miss clues and connections because I read the first chapter a year ago, and it’s not so fresh in my mind.
You’re funny–a sense of closure! Also, when you read the excerpts, sometimes they change by the time the actual book comes out, and when you read it again, it can be puzzling.
I always skip excerpts. I’d rather have two fully contained stories a year (or whatever) apart than one fully contained story and the very beginning of a story I won’t be able to continue for a while.
Exactly!!!
I sometimes read it..I guess it depends on the author and if the excerpt is a follow up book in the series.
Yup. But even if I like the author/series, I often skip it if the book ended properly. Don’t mess with my sense of closure! 😉
I usually skim the excerpt. But one problem I have with those excerpts is they take up space I’m not expecting to have taken up. So I’m sailing through the book, and suddenly it’s ending but there are pages left over! It messes with my mental expectations of how long the story will be.
If I know the excerpt’s there, I’m neutral about it. Sometimes I flip to the back early on to see if there’s back matter.
Yes, there’s an annoyance I didn’t think about for this post! “What? I’ve reached the ending, already??”
I almost always skip them. When finishing a book, there’s (hopefully) a sense of fulfillment. Reaching the end of a well told tale provides satisfaction, happily wrapping up a journey I hope to fondly recollect for years to come. Beginning an excerpt does the opposite, leaving me wanting. It’s not the feeling I want to have at the end of the book.
If it’s a great read, just tell me the name of the next book and when its expected out. Rest assured I’ll be looking forward to it.
Totally my position! And extremely well-put, too.