I admit that I'm a skimmer. If the scenery description goes on for too long, I tend to look ahead for the dialog which I like a lot better. But the love scenes I do read all the way through.

Nope, I'm not a skimmer. I read every last word on the page. I figure if it was important to the writer it's got to be there for a good reason. That's not to say I've never found myself wishing I could skim but I just can't make myself do it.

It's very seldom I read a book that I don't skim at some point. It hasn't happened with the love scenes yet, but maybe I'm not reading the right books. LOL

Okay, I confess that I can be a skimmer at times. As Barbara says, we had this conversation but if the book draws me in and suspends my disbelief, I'll read (and savor) everything single word.

LOL on "skim milk," Barbara! All together now... "I'm a skimmer, you're a skimmer, he's a skimmer, she's a skimmer--wouldn't you like to be a skimmer too?" (Mmm. Dr Pepper... Anyone else remember that commercial?) Actually, I don't skim on purpose, but I'm a pretty fast reader...so if I'm not careful, I sometimes have to backtrack, especially with a more complicated book. Interesting question!

I confess, I too have been known to skim - particularly in thrillers where 1) there is a lot of technical/weaponry detail and 2) the plot is the main point (to me anyway). When a book is well written, though, I try to savor every word and make it last! Clea
www.cleasimon.com

I have lots of friends who do this. It's like everything else in life they feel the need for speed. For me, reading is to relax and savor the written word like fine wine. Even with that said, I like adventure stories, but I don't care about the name, make and model of every gun ever made.

I must admit that I'm a member of Skimmers Anonymous: "My name is Susan, and I'm a skimmer." I'm an editor, so if I'm editing a book, I must read every word. But when I'm reading for pleasure, I only read the parts that give me pleasure! I skip to the dialogue and skim the scenery.

Gee. If you often find yourself "skimming" it must not be a very good book. A good read should have neither too many words, nor too few — as Mozart said in Amadeus, "It has exactly the number of notes it requires." If the book isn't making beautiful music for me, I simply put it down. Who's got time to waste on a lousy book? Give me one that SINGS!

Ok, I feel I need to check in on this subject. I am thrilled with all the technobabble. The more the better since it really sets the scene and makes it all the more believable. I feel like Tim the toolman Taylor yelling "More Power!!"

I have to admit to being a skimmer, but only when the kids are yelling, the dog's barking and the phone's ringing (sometimes all at the same time). Then I quickly read ahead so I don't miss anything. I can't wait for the day I can soak in a hot tub, with a glass of wine and appreciate every single word. Calgon, take me away...

Lisa, I'm definitely a Pepper. I was singing along with your post.:) And Sue, I love books that Sing!!

Yes I am skimmer, I read a lot of historical romance and though I don't skim the intimate scenes, I do skim the excessive description found in historicals. I like descriptions to be a part of the action but when I get a book where the authors is telling me about the wall coverings and how the light filters thru the window if has nothing to do with the action of the story, ie the hero spying thru the window or the villian isn't hiding behind the wall coverings, I don't want to hear about it.

My first impulse is to say that "I never skim", that I consume every delicious word available (especially the love scenes!), but that would not be true. I find that I have a lot of difficulty being with and/or "into" the antagonist... the meaner, crueler, more insane, the harder it is for me to read; I guess there's enough ugliness on the evening news that I don't want to get inside the bad guy. So I'll hit the first and last sentence of the bad guys stuff so I can tell what they’re up to, and then move on. I do like thrillers and suspense, but if too much of the book is in the perspective of the villain, it's not the book for me.

Yes, I skim too without meaning to. Pretty much the same reasons as mentioned above. Sometimes if I don't my eyes start to glaze over and I tend to lose interest and can't get back into the book.

I have just discovered Erotica, so I'm all about all the words.

I do occassionally find myself skimming, but when I do I go back to read what I've missed. And I try to learn from what I'm skimming. I've found that many times the content, whether description, introspection, dialogue, or yes, even love scenes, causes me to skim, it is because the author hasn't made this particular part relevant to the core of the book. Like, don't just tell me what the room looks like, see it through the eyes of the character so it teaches me something about their personality too. Then I try to remember that when I'm writing my own work. :)

Oh, it's routine for me to skim news articles and letters. Rarely do I get through a magazine article or book without skimming some passages. How else could we possibly get through everything in the 24 hours a day offers?

I skim subplots in order to get back to the hero and heroine. I could care less about who wants to blackmail who or why.

I'm late getting in on this (I've been busy writing, geez, what a concept, LOL), but first I have to say that Barbara, your bottom lines are always so much fun. Anyway, I once made the mistake of skimming several paragraphs of gun stuff in a Stephen Hunter novel, then belatedly discovered he'd told me something I needed to know in all that description. So, now I very seldom skim and try to write all my scenes, including the love scenes, for a reason -- to show character growth, conflict, or share some clues the reader will need to know. Not just because it's page whatever and it's time for the characters to jump in bed. (Or onto the table, floor, shower, beach, whatever.) Which is another reason why all love scenes in a book should, imo, convey different moods. Because our stories deal with changing relationships and love scenes should reflect those changes.

JoAnn, I have to say that I never skim your books. :)

Barbara, thank you! That's so lovely to hear! (Especially given how many books you read!) You just made my day!! Have a super holiday weekend!

I really try not to skim, but sometimes descriptions really get to me, especially if they go on page after page. I'm more of a dialog person. I'm sure it's hard to get that perfect balance.

At times I do skim. Some of the discriptions do get a bit long. Most of the time I have to go back at some point to see if I missed anything important. You just never know.

I'm a skimmer. Not all the time but sometimes when I feel the story isn't moving along fast enough. There are other times (which is most of the time) when you couldn't pay me to skim and read. I skim words. Not whole paragrahs so I never actually miss the important stuff. Rika ~ www.bookadesign.com

Although it was one of my favorite books for a long time, I never read Gone With the Wind without skimming through those long, detailed, and (in my opinion) boring war passages! Yawn! Get back to Rhett and Scarlett!