Gritty or Fluffy?

September 12, 2012 Michelle Griep

Recently I found out that a writer buddy of mine signed yet another contract. Am I jealous? Sure. Who wouldn't be? But not green-eyed, sit-in-the-corner-and-suck-my-thumb kind of jealous. More like wish-it-were-me kind of envy.

Here's the kicker, though...the stories this author writes are sweet and all, but nothing that makes me sit on the edge of my seat and beg for more. Those are the kinds of books I like to read. Those are the kinds of books I thought everyone liked to read. Where exactly did my thought process derail?

Escapism..."The tendency to seek distraction and relief from unpleasant realities, especially by seeking entertainment or engaging in fantasy."

When one engages in escapism, there is a fork in the road that a reader must choose to follow. In my case, I pick up a book in which the protag's situation is worse than mine, making me feel better about the chaos of my own life. This, however, is the road less taken.

Most readers grab a book off the shelf in which the storyline is better than their life, taking them to a less stressful setting. I'm not saying this is wrong. I'm simply saying this isn't how I roll.

How about you? When you're reading for relaxation, do you go for gritty or fluffy?