This week's question: What do you consider most important in a story: the plot or the characters?
For me, it's always the characters. I love to love them. I love to hate them. I love to love to hate them. If I can't relate to them or get emotionally involved in their struggles, then the story just doesn't work for me. Characters are the individuals onto whom I project myself, imagining I'm there with them, and if I can't do that I have trouble following along on the journey.
Thanks so much to Crazy for Books for hosting the hop!
This week's question: What did you study in college, or are currently studying and did it lead to your current 9 to 5 or are you doing something totally different.
I graduated college with a degree in film and photography. I don't actually work in the film industry or as a photographer now, but the photography work did lead me to advertising and graphic design my senior year of college and that's what field I worked in for a couple years. Now, I run a wedding stationery design studio from home which still incorporates my graphic design and marketing background though it's not exactly 9-5!
Thanks to Parajunkee for hosting the follow!
Hey, I'm hopping by. I agree it's all about the characters. If the characters are dry it doesn't matter whether or not it's an amazing plot.
ReplyDeleteThe BBH question was a tough one for me this week! Very hard to choose either.
ReplyDeleteI'm totally with you on the characters! They make or break the book for me!
ReplyDeleteI'm an English Lit major, but I've always been really interested in film studies. I'm considering maybe taking a course or two in the area as electives!
Hope you have a great weekend, Jenny!
Stopping by from the Hop! I can find arguments for both being the most important, depending on the sort of novel and what is driving it.
ReplyDeleteYour degree and work sounds really interesting! I'd love to know more about taking better photos and getting the most out of my camera!
I am completely with you on the characters! It's so important to feel a connection because, otherwise, there's no real reason to care about their journey
ReplyDeleteYour design studio sounds like it would be fun!
Thanks for stopping by my blog. I'm now a follower! :)
HI old follower and what an exciting job, I love graphic design but hopelessly a novice at it. Happy Holidays.
ReplyDeleteMy Follow Friday/Book Blogger Hop
Happy HOP! This week's question wasn't so simple to answer but ultimately it was characters for me. That's where I make my connection to the story. LOVE your blog and I'll be back.
ReplyDeleteCome HOP by The Bookish Snob
For a lot of readers it seems to be the Characters.
ReplyDeleteI'm I the only greedy one??
-Shera (Book Whispers)
Happy Hopping :) thanks for following and yea I must agree about the characters and all and awesome blog :) and we do see like we have the same taste in books :D
ReplyDeleteJust stopping by from the follow!
ReplyDeletehave a good weekend!
Hi,
ReplyDeleteHopping by and following through. I am a photography enthusiast :)
Shelleyrae
www.bookdout.wordpress.com
I must say, the plot is most important for me. I can read a book with really annoying characters (helloooo Vampire Academy!) as long as the plot races along.
ReplyDeleteAlternately, if the book is much more of a character study, and not much happens, I just can't take it! (boo, Olive Kitteridge!)
Loved learning more about your background in the Follow Friday question this week. Drooling over beautiful wedding stationery was one of my favorite parts of wedding planning!
ReplyDeleteCharacters are important to me as well, but the plot comes first for me. If I can't get into the plot, I can't get into the characters.
ReplyDeleteHere's my hop
Hopping by new follower
ReplyDeleteHappy Friday and Have a great weekend Jenny :)
ReplyDeleteI'm a character girl too. A book can have a great plot, but if I'm not feeling the characters I have a hard time getting into the story.
ReplyDeleteI like the Follow Friday question today. It's so fun to see how life takes people in unexpected directions.
Hey Jenny, just stopping by on the hop and follow. Your blog's looking HOT!!!! Happy Holidays. Happy Reading!!!
ReplyDeleteSee ya!
Readaholics Anonymous
I had such a hard time with today's question. I don't think you can have one without the other. But, I agree that characters are what usually keep me reading and why I invest my time in the book.
ReplyDeleteYour job sounds amazing! I would love to work for home. I knew you and I would agree on the characters!
ReplyDeleteLooks like we have very similar reads! I think you were following my old blog so I'm glad you found me. :) I followed back! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI'm totally with plot. :) The most solid answer to this question but it's still on someone's preference. Anyway, read my answer in Clandestine Sanctuary.
ReplyDeleteI'm an old follower. Have a great weekend.
I did not go to college, and I am currently retired. I worked for over 15 years in the secretarial division of Emery Air Freight in the 1960s and 1970s. I was a stay-at-home mom for the 1980s and 1990s, and now I am helping my daughter with her business, Tribute Books as the volunteer office manager.
ReplyDeleteHey there. I'm a lousy hopper this weekend since I'm out of town and have questionable internet access. How cool that you went to school for film and photography. Which of the two do you prefer? Speaking of photography, I just won a $500 camera at my work raffle. I'm very excited. Now I want to learn how to take decent photos so I can be worthy of my camera.
ReplyDeleteMe too. I prefer characters over plot. But both are important. Happy Blog Hop.
ReplyDeleteHi hi! I totally agree with you. If the characters are no good, then it really buts a damper on any story involved. I love to love to love to love them. ^___^
ReplyDeleteI'm an old follower just stopping by!
ReplyDeleteI'm a both kind of girl. I need both to love the book.
Have a great weekend!
HOPpin' by! I was torn between loving both. And recently I tried to read a book, each chapter introduced new characters, trying to meld with old ones, but I kept saying to myself, "OK, he's cool/she's cool, but please get to the point of the book!" In the end, it became the first book ever that I didn't finish reading... and won't be reviewing. Although... I've shelved it with the thought in mind of trying it again one day.
ReplyDeleteHappy Friday! I've enjoyed reading your answers! Drop by my blog and have a look at what I wrote.
ReplyDeleteHappy Friday!
ReplyDeleteHope you have a great weekend!!
Romance Book Junkies
Hey, just hopping by! I LOVE the characters too! The characters are what truly draw me into a story! Happy hopping :o)
ReplyDeleteHi, I am stopping by from FF and the Hop. I also think both are important but if I don't like the characters I can't read the book.
ReplyDeletePlease visit me @: Mystifying Paranormal Reviews
Mariya
Just hopping by...the characters do it for me as well...they either become a part of me one way or the other or they don't. If they don't, I probably won't like the book. I'm looking forward to reading some of you reviews. I'm an eclectic reader but my oldest daughter and I love paranormal:)
ReplyDeleteBack for a visit...still love your header design.
ReplyDeleteHopping by from the blog hop.
Stop by my blog to see my answer to this week's question.
Also check out a design site I found...pretty neat...it is in the right side panel.
http://silversolara.blogspot.com
Happy Holidays!!
New Follower hopping by! This weeks BBH question was a toughy -- I think that honestly the plot and the characters go hand in hand. It is hard to have a great plot if the characters are terrible, and it is hard to have good characters if the plot is lacking.
ReplyDeleteHappy Hopping!
BrandiHeather
I agree! It's all about the characters for me baby!
ReplyDeleteHappy Hop!
I agree when it comes to romances I like to have interesting characters that I *want* to read about. Fantasy (or even Urban Fantasy) I will forgive a lot if I am dedicated to the world and the world-building. In those instances my curiousity to see how things tick factor more into my interest than anything else.
ReplyDeleteNew follower/reader (and I agree with a lot of your 'must-read' books!)
Lexie
Poisoned Rationality