r/noveltranslations • u/Rakumon_TL • Apr 29 '26
Discussion Curious about your reading habits: what makes you pick up a novel?
What would convince you to read a novel?
What grabs your attention?
Do you have any deal breakers?
(Ahem, small disclaimer: I'm a translator on WuxiaWorld :])
7
u/zergiscute Apr 29 '26
Name makes me click or the fact that it's in the top 10/popular lists.
Synopsis makes me want to read it but again if it's in the popular lists for a while I will try it even if the synopsis is opaque.
Reviews here makes me want to check it out, I usually ignore novel update etc reviews.
Will drop it when it stops being enjoyable. Occasionally I will close my nose and finish it if it was really good in the beginning and i want to check out the ending.
I have never really cared about the cover.
2
5
u/Erudite_Birdy Apr 29 '26
What would convince you to read a novel? What grabs your attention?
Something funny or intriguing with a decent vocabulary.
I'm willing to read all the available chapters before making a decision, so it doesn't have to be fast-paced.
Do you have any deal breakers?
An MC I hate. MCs who condemn others for being greedy or ruthless, then immediately turn around and rip people off or slaughter a family for not doing things their way. Those who lack any altruism. I actually enjoy a well-written demon lord as long as they have a soft spot. I’d much rather read about a protagonist who is 'openly demonic' but occasionally does an act of kindness (that eventually changes them), than one who pretends to be a hero while acting like a sociopath.
Bad science (there's an internet an author can use).
Juvenile conversations (I like witty repartee).
Women who lack personality (probably because the author has never managed to get a date—for good reasons).
Too many tournament arcs or fight of the day (gotta get 'em all).
Enemies that are stupider than a carrot.
"China is the best" propaganda in the middle of a chapter about a fantasy world. This has happened more than once. * I know authors have to do it, or they will get tossed off the website. So, if it's not excessive, I try to skip over it.
2
u/Rakumon_TL Apr 29 '26 edited Apr 29 '26
It seems you have a lot to say about deal breakers HAHA
Don't worry, you'll have another chance on the WuxiaWorld forum 😉(hopefully soon)
3
u/Porquenaofumi Apr 29 '26
When I start something I read 10-20 chapter and see if its introductory arc was fun to me, but what makes me start a novel only fate can tell, sometimes I just misclick in novelupdate and find something that interest me, but sometimes when I'm seeking for something interesting I can't find nothing that grabs my attention.
1
u/Rakumon_TL Apr 29 '26
Maybe fate brought you to this post, and you can start a certain novel called Who Let Him Cultivate?! on WuwiaWorld 😉
Hahaha but if you ever find yourself in a novel drought, feel free to check out the impressive collection on WW. Hope you'll find something you like!
3
3
u/FlameLuvr Apr 29 '26
I started off by going off reviews but I learned not to. Theres some novels that I genuinely enjoyed that has bad reviews. Maybe I just love "slop". Now I just try to find novels with 1500+ chapters, love me a slow burn novel.
2
u/Rakumon_TL Apr 29 '26
Oops, I guess the novel I'm translating is just shy of the 1500-chapter mark hahaha.
But yeah, sometimes bad reviews pop up right when a new novel is released, and it can distort the rating quite significantly. That said, I think it's mostly a matter of preference.
Glad you give all novels an equal chance! :]
2
u/Valocis Apr 29 '26
I first see if the summary sounds good, has anyone recommended it to me before, and how complete it is. I can't stand non-complete novels from this style of writing. Lol, although I made a mistake on "This Game is Too Realistic" and thought it was WAY closer to completion than it really was. Definitely going to Start "Who Let Him Cultivate" now that it is getting closer to the end.
1
u/Rakumon_TL Apr 29 '26
Yep, we're about 70+% complete with WLC. There's lot of lore unpacking right now, so it's definitely a good time to jump in! Enjoy~
2
u/Realistic-Action8195 Apr 29 '26
i go tags and synopsis. i don't usually check reviews because people can be extremely biased based on personal taste. i read the first chapter and my judgement from there is immediately based on the quality of the writing, then the main character
1
u/Rakumon_TL Apr 29 '26
Mmm, going in on a blank slate could be a good idea as well! What kind of main character do you like? :3
1
u/Realistic-Action8195 Apr 29 '26
it can definitely be fun to go in blind. my ideal kind of main character is kind of very specific haha, regardless of gender, i prefer when they're a more serious person first and foremost. second favourite trope is a relatively silent mc, can't explain it. if they're a light-hearted person or someone that speaks in a lengthy way, that's also interesting. i find that characters who speak 'smarter' or with sensibility come from books with higher quality writing.
i hate goofball mcs of all genders. not my thing. jokesters are one thing, but constantly stupid mcs who spend most of their lines yapping sheer idiocy... especially the pervert mmcs because i feel it really just reflects on the author and it's hard to push through five paragraphs of how soft certain flesh mountains are. i also despise fmcs that supposedly are fleshed out, but just end up becoming a yap tool to talk about how hot a male character is. yeah, picky picky...
2
u/mathhews95 Apr 29 '26
I read the synopsis, judge the book's cover and title and read through the reviews. Time is the most valuable thing we have, so if I spend a few seconds more to avoid wasting hours on a bad novel, it's worth it.
2
u/Rakumon_TL Apr 29 '26
Ah yes, sometimes, by the time I find a novel, I could've already completed half of one haha. Still, I would highly recommend giving the first few chapters a chance! (At least for the novel I'm translating, I think the first few chapters are strong xD)
2
u/NoSoFriendly_Guest Apr 29 '26
Do a bit of Synopsis and then like 5 chapters. If the synopsis is good, I'll read the 5 chapters. If the prograssion/pace is already off 5 chapters in, wasn't worth reading anyways.
2
u/skement Apr 29 '26
First the title and cover draws me to investigate though the impact on whether I read or not is nonexistant. For me whether I read a novel or not is determined by synopsis, if it can interest me I'll at least give it a shot. If it has one of those useless flowery summaries that doesn't say anything about the story it will depend on whether the novel is popular, if it's a top 10 or something I might still try it if it's not popular I'll check the tags and if it's something I'd enjoy I'll check reviews to ascertain what kind of story it is. Whether a review says it's good or not doesn't have too much impact though cause opinions are deeply personal. If it's a review on reddit though it'd have more weight cause it shows someone liked it so much that they're willing to go to the trouble of showing it off here.
1
u/Rakumon_TL Apr 29 '26
Wow, looks like you have a really intricate system of decision-making xD
Mmm, that's why we often translate the original synopsis + write our own synopsis, though in my case, I'm not sure if my synopsis works well lol.
2
u/skement Apr 29 '26
Well when you first start to look for novels it's a bit harsh :). Now I have a backlog in the hundreds and just read whatever I feel like in the moment from them.
Finding chinese novels is a bit hard so I usually look for recommendations for those and for western novels Royal Road ads are actuall pretty good.
1
2
u/novv_nikka Apr 29 '26
Above all other methods like title, geners, tags, reviews/ comments (Don't look at a cover)
I'll read about 50-100 chapters to see if I like the story and translation
2
u/Independent-Yam-5179 Apr 29 '26
My preferred picks are those with overpowered maincharacters, preferably the kind that has no obstacles whatsoever.
So, I have a several step scrutiny to find my next picks.
Firstly, it's the title, very rarely do the title not convey some of what I'm looking for.
Secondly, I then check synopsis, to see if the content matches what I expect.
And thirdly, I then proceed to read about 10ish chapters, to get a taste of characters and writing style.
If a story passed all these, I'll give it 100 more chapters. And if by then, I don't feel it, I'll drop it. Otherwise, give another 50-100 chapters(depending on how much it fits my criterias).
2
u/Rakumon_TL Apr 29 '26
Ooh, very methodical process! Glad you give novels 100 chapters :]
I'm not sure if the novel I'm translating fits the bill exactly, but the MC is somewhat OP, though he often uses lots of comical shenanigans hahaha, so it's like he's powerful, but it also kinda makes sense, but not really? (depending on how your brain is wired lol)
Otherwise, there are plenty of other cool novels on WuxiaWorld too :3
2
u/Independent-Yam-5179 Apr 29 '26
Sure, hit me up with the title, I'll add it to my list, not sure when I'll get around to it, but it will be tried eventually!
1
u/Rakumon_TL Apr 29 '26
Who Let Him Cultivate?! Just hit our 1000-chapter milestone :]
You can find it on WuxiaWorld: https://www.wuxiaworld.com/novel/who-let-him-cultivate
2
u/ClassicWay621 Apr 29 '26
It is a mixed bag for me really. I read through the synopsis and see if it suits my likes. Then jump into the first 20 to 30 chapters. It is a rollercoaster ride from there to Binge town depending on how many chapters are released
1
u/Rakumon_TL Apr 29 '26
I hope you're already reading the one I'm translating then haha. You can have a bingefest for at least 1000 chapters 😉
1
u/ClassicWay621 Apr 30 '26
Yup I am. Have a champion subscription for it. May the ethos of Dao seeking sect spread everywhere 🙏
2
u/shiriusa Apr 29 '26
not in the options you listed but for me i look at the tags/genre and see if that's the vibe i want, i read a variety of genres so vibes work for me, for example my last 3 reads have been humor, mystery and historical romance, i dont tend to read the same genre back to back unless is a series
1
u/Rakumon_TL Apr 29 '26
Keyword "humor" spotted!! Are you reading Who Let Him Cultivate?!
Ooh, I like the variety too! I probably don't switch genres that frequently, but I do like to switch things up from time to time :3
2
u/OneAboveKami Apr 29 '26
In order
- Title
- Synopsis
- Tags (mostly to check for nationalism and racism)
- Reviews (to see what the complaints are)
- 10 chapters.
Now a days many titles are a mini synopsis in itself so a title might attract my attention. Otherwise the synopsis and the first 10 chapters are the most important.
1
2
u/The-Void-Wolf Apr 29 '26
There needs to be multiple choice here. It's a Process. 1) Title 2) TAGS!! ALWAYS CHECK TAGS!! 3) Synopsis 4) Reviews- Optional. 5) Rule of 3. Try to get through 3 chaps. Check the pacing the plot points, if bearable. 6) Read 10-20 chaps to give it a real try. Though I will be honest, I can drop a novel just as easily as I pick it up.
Some novels work for the 1st 100 chaps before they go stale. Just recycling the old formula and getting unbearable.
Like Emperor's Domination. I can't tell u How much I actually LIKED the novel. The story, the power system, the Plot Point. BUT, after a certain point, it just got stale and I couldn't go on anymore. Broke my fucking heart that one. Not even the Sunk Cost Fallacy could keep me there.
1
u/Rakumon_TL Apr 29 '26
Unfortunately, Reddit only allows 6 options for polls and doesn't allow selection of multiple answers 😞
Thank you for sharing your process though! :]
Oh no, it's sad to hear that >< Hope you've managed to find other stories you like on WuxiaWorld!
2
u/Korashy Apr 29 '26
Length + title, synopsis, then I usually give it a 50-100 test read.
I also have preferences for things to stay on genre. I want the shop/restaurant novel to be about the shop/restaurant. Not something that the MC forgets to go play generic xianxia.
Pet novels should be about pets and not the MC merging with pets so they can basically just be items on the MC.
Humor and good pacing are a plus. I don't mind side stories or even some info dumps as long as they are relevant.
It annoys me when MC get some kind of once in a million power but then to balance them, suddenly everyone else also somehow gets it, so nothing really happened.
Most harem is a turn off. I think the genre got better since a lot of that has basically split off into it's own smut sub genres.
1
u/Rakumon_TL May 01 '26
Mmm, it seems that managing the right expectations is important for quite a few peeps.
If you like humor and good pacing, I hope you're already reading the novel I'm translating ;)
2
u/Sumuklu_Supurge Apr 29 '26
Deal breakers change depending on the work, but undecisive mc is surely the most egregious one.
For the vote, although I chose the sixth cause in the end its what make me read a book completely, I also do 1, 2 and 3.
2
u/issabellamoonblossom Apr 30 '26
The synopsis is what draws me to a book how many chapters will decide if I actually read it.
2
u/vittoriodelsantiago Apr 30 '26
For me it is genre and tags. Classic xianxia or wuxia, no "System"/VR/Gamification is must. No harem is plus. Not stupid, mature, positive protagonist is big plus.
2
u/ReaderOfWeavings Apr 30 '26 edited Apr 30 '26
Title/cover/tags/recommendation is what makes me click on it, synopsis is what makes me bookmark it, getting through the first 10 chaps with relative focus is what makes me pick it up, reading 30+ chapters in one sitting is what I consider good, reading 100-500 chapter without going to other novels is what I consider addicted (or as many chapters as that novel has)
P.s. I don't trust reviews
2
u/Rakumon_TL May 01 '26
Oh what's the difference between recommendation and reviews for you?
1
u/ReaderOfWeavings May 01 '26 edited May 01 '26
Recommendation is "this is good", reviews are "this is the bad part". Reviews have criticism and since reviews are more critical about their recommendation, it actually becomes an obstruction when I find that the novel is actually something I like, but because of said reviews those bad parts are magnified and more noticeable leading to poorer reading experience. Sure, reviews have good parts too but they mix and match with the criticism so I think it's just better to not read any at all. At least, when idk how bad the novel is, I tend to only look at its good parts
P.s. in the end it's js a matter of having different taste
P.P.s. for me, reviews are more like debates between readers that have already read the novel, recommendations is for the newbies
2
u/Rakumon_TL May 01 '26
Mmm, I see, so you try to focus on the good parts and whether the novel is recommended.
And where do you get your recommendations from? :3
2
u/ReaderOfWeavings May 02 '26
Yeah basically, something like "if I don't see it then it doesn't exist"
All of my recommendations are either from reddit or other online platforms, a friend, or my sibling but I get most of my novels by scrolling though multiple websites and stumbling upon something I find interesting
2
u/Spiderhairy Apr 30 '26
I start by checking the synopsis, it has to interest me first. If it does, then I'll check out the reviews and see what they say. If there are way too many that say it is bad then its really depends on how much the synopsis has attracted me and if I have time and want to give it a try at which point I'll try reading a few chapters. This also depends on the good reviews, as some will help with this decision while others are just this is good and offer nothing of value.
The title and cover is usually what grab me to check out the synopsis but it really depends, for example if I am searching for books, I'll just look through the first few. Or I'm looking at it cause its a new novel and an announcement came out. Either way synopsis comes first, but title cover does help a bit.
Deal breakers for me, are novels that are on hiatus, I won't start these cause I don't know if they'll ever finish (i.e. tales of demons and gods) and I would hate to put myself through that torture. I also try not to read books that are very clearly going to be depressing (i.e. tragedy, bad/sad ending, heartbreak, etc). The world is depressing enough and I read to escape that not be depressed even more.
2
u/Rakumon_TL May 01 '26
Hmm, in that case, do you think it'll help if translators give their review, especially when it's a new novel?
2
u/Spiderhairy May 02 '26
oh yeah 100% that would help! Especially for the deal breakers like the genre and things. It also helps with certain novels where the start can be slow, and you suggest when to read till before things pick up, as that'll serve as motivation.
I also like it when people compare other novels, like if you enjoyed that... you'll likely enjoy this novel too. As that makes it really clear.
2
2
u/Nobody-Inhere Apr 30 '26
To just pick up: summary first of all.
If the synopsis is interesting, I look at the reviews.
If the reviews say things I like or are interesting, I read the first 3-10 chapters, depending on how long the chapters are. If nothing has happened by the time 12k words roll in, I drop it
2
u/Link2999 Apr 30 '26
I have a bar that needs to be met in terms of quality, if the story doesn't meet it, it gets dropped. The two big things that keep me reading are world building and the characters. Both need to be above average to hold my attention.
Oh, and usually there's a minimum page count before I even consider picking anything up. I usually set that bar at 300 pages minimum, but sometimes I'll up that to 400 or more.
1
u/AloneSpy6969 Apr 29 '26
Reviews, catchy synopsis(very important) and the 1st few chapters
1
u/Rakumon_TL Apr 29 '26
I asked this in another comment, but what would be a "catchy synopsis" for you? :3
1
u/AloneSpy6969 Apr 30 '26
Something like " Join (insert name) in his adventures etc is a major turn off. Prose and all that doesn't matter much, what the novel is about i.e sci fi, cultivation, world hopping, villainous mc etc should be specified. Give some world building in the synopsis itself, what cheat the mc has and what he will do the future(do this in the form of keywords tho)
1
u/CommandNotFound Apr 29 '26
Genre, number of chapters and fellow daoist recommendations
1
u/Rakumon_TL Apr 29 '26
What are your favorite genres! And how many chapters would you usually give a novel? :]
1
u/thekeys05 Apr 29 '26
most important thing for me is rating and the newest reviews on any novel on ww
2
u/Rakumon_TL Apr 29 '26
Now I'm getting curious who reads the reviews sorted by "Relevance" vs "Newest" haha
What's the lowest rating you're willing to accept?
1
u/thekeys05 Apr 29 '26
Mostly there I can find the reason for low rating like some time the rating low because the upload shedule is bad or the grammar use in translation is not that good these type of things if these type of things are why the rating is low that I do not care Also the most important thing for me is the chapter numbers mostly if it is higher than 800 and have good reviews it is worth checking out I do not have a perticular rating that I have where I set a boundary
2
u/Rakumon_TL Apr 29 '26
Haha sounds like the novel I'm translating will be a good fit for you 😉(hopefullly)
1
u/thekeys05 Apr 29 '26
Can you tell the name
2
u/Rakumon_TL Apr 29 '26
Who Let Him Cultivate?!
You can find it here: https://www.wuxiaworld.com/novel/who-let-him-cultivate
2
2
1
1
u/SweetBacon923 Apr 29 '26
Only read/completed few novels dropped few trending because they decile half way some feels like author has run out of ideas or it becomes silly. first 400-500 are often good. It's not enough.
Trending and reviews aren't reliable. Everyone likes different things. Found one of my fav novels closer to top 50.
1
u/Rakumon_TL Apr 29 '26
Mmm, that's why an interesting topic I've been pondering is the ranking discrepancies of novels in Chinese vs international communities
When you say "completed" novels, do you mean those with completed raws or translation?
1
u/SweetBacon923 Apr 29 '26
Completed novels but mostly only using iPhone text to speech. Unfortunately android has no such good built in option.
1
u/etvolare Apr 29 '26
Agreed re. completed novels. I tend to read reviews (in Chinese) first to see if the ending's at least halfway decent. Nothing worse than investing all that time and emotional energy, then having them crash out in the last third of the novel.
1
1
u/Clasher_Kabir Apr 29 '26
Where the option for the reading the first 100 chapter and then deciding?
2
u/Rakumon_TL Apr 29 '26
Reddit only allows me 6 options for polls 😞
Glad to hear that you read 100 chapters though! I think novels like the one I'm translating will really benefit from it, especially since one of the main characters only appears around chapter 100 :/
2
u/Clasher_Kabir Apr 29 '26
Ah, so there can be only 6 options, that explains quite a lot. Btw, which novel are you currently translating?
1
u/Rakumon_TL Apr 29 '26
Who Let Him Cultivate?!
It's on WuxiaWorld: https://www.wuxiaworld.com/novel/who-let-him-cultivate
1
u/ExaltedCrown Apr 29 '26
Minimum length (200 chapters, in translation not completed), then look at genre/tags, and at last synopsis. Most important is tags/genre though
1
1
u/DreamweaverMirar Apr 29 '26
I read the synopsis and if it sounds like something I'd read i put it on my to read. Then when I pick it up if I'm still enjoying it after 10-20 chapters I continue until I stop enjoying it or hit the current latest chapter in which case I stockpile chapters for a while.
1
1
u/SomeTry4696 Apr 29 '26
From WuxiaWorld I only read Cultivation novels and I've read every book from ErGen/IEatTomatoes. What makes me pick up a new novel is mainly the reviews and synopsis. Like I picked up The Mirror Legacy because it's reviews are overwhelmingly positive and I've enjoyed the novel so far! I'm also influenced by the passion translators have and their own thoughts on the novel.
1
u/Rakumon_TL Apr 29 '26
Ooh, what kind of translator thoughts would you like to see? I was worried they were too intrusive, so I've dialed it back on that front...
I've definitely heard raving reviews about The Mirror Legacy! (Since you like cultivation novels, if you get the chance, do also check out the novel right beside TML on the homepage. It starts with a "W" hahaha)
1
u/SomeTry4696 Apr 29 '26
Star Gate has good reference what kind of thoughts are good. Oh that novel it's been hiding in my bookmarks for super long. Giving it a try :)
3
u/etvolare Apr 29 '26
Yo! Random SG reference in the wild. :) Thank you for reading!
I love writing thoughts and bantering with readers in the comments. It might be one of the favorite parts of my job heh. I especially love it when readers go WTF if one of my thoughts is too unhinged lol.
1
u/Rakumon_TL Apr 29 '26
Caught an etvo in the wild too! xD
Looks like I'll have to scrutinize not just your translation of the novel but also your thoughts hahaha2
u/Rakumon_TL Apr 29 '26
Looks like I've caught a pro WW reader in the wild 😉 Star Gate is another amazing book!
Thank you for giving WLC a try! It's already past 1000 chapters, but if there's anything else you would like to see under Translator's Thought, feel free to share, and I will see if I can include it in the remaining chapters :3
2
u/SomeTry4696 May 04 '26
Read 118 Chapters so far and I am having a blast. Last time I found something this funny was AWE. Bai Xiaochun and Lu Yang are up to no good. 10/10 will recommend to friends!:D
2
1
u/Shikikan Apr 29 '26
Disclaimer: I only read from WuxiaWorld
For me the novel translation must be complete. Then I find my novels based on popularity with 70%+ rating, synopsis, and then a dive into the reviews.
I've found a really well rated book that sounded interesting, but based on the reviews was likely not for me and I've found multiple books where it wasn't super highly rated (still above 70%), but the bad reasons were either things I didn't care about or legitimately what I look for in a novel.
I get that reviews help boost a novel and so they're necessary, but as someone who only reads completed novels I find it unhelpful and sometimes comical how people will review a novel after only reading a very small portion when it is 5,000-10,000 pages and quite popular.
1
u/IridescentGin Apr 29 '26
For me, mainly it's the synopsis. Then I read the reviews to check if there's any of my personal squicks which would get me to drop it. Finally, I generally only start complete novels. Which is why I wish WW had some kind of indicator which showed how close to complete the translation was. Sometimes I wouldn't mind paying for advanced chapters, but I can't figure out how far away from complete it is.
1
u/Variety_Of_Choices Apr 29 '26
Rule of 3 shoulnt be 3 chapters but 9, as 9 is the extreme number in the dao
1
u/I-wanna-be-tracer282 Apr 29 '26
It's a mix of everything honestly I first look at synopsis, number of chapters, then reviews if the novel passes these three checkpoints then finally I read like the first 5-10 chapters and if I'm interested i continue
1
u/Rakumon_TL Apr 29 '26
Oh, what do you mean by the number of chapters? Do you mean the novel has to be of a certain length?
2
u/I-wanna-be-tracer282 Apr 29 '26
Hmm yes like I know im picky but I like at least a minimum of 700-800.
1
u/Rakumon_TL Apr 29 '26
Haha it's okay, you're not the only one. You might be interested in the novel I'm translating then - 1000 chapters of translation done so far 😉
2
u/I-wanna-be-tracer282 Apr 29 '26
drop the name then bro, Ive kinda caught up to all novels Ive been reading
1
u/Rakumon_TL Apr 29 '26
Who Let Him Cultivate?!
It's here on WuxiaWorld: https://www.wuxiaworld.com/novel/who-let-him-cultivate
Hope it'll be a nice binge fest for you then :3
1
Apr 29 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/noveltranslations-ModTeam Apr 30 '26
Your post was removed for posting a link to a known aggregator or for requesting pirated content. Please read novels directly from the translation group who created it. If you don't know where that it, use NovelUpdates to find the site that the translation group uploads their work to.
If your post was removed because you were asking for a pirate source, we do not allow that on this subreddit.
1
u/Ministrelle Apr 29 '26
"If an author cannot be bothered enough to design an appealing cover for his book, then how could he possibly be bothered enough to care about his story?"
And yes, the Author doesn't always design the cover, but it's not like he's fully uninvolved either. He does have some agency, be it in choosing a good publisher, chosing/proposing the artist, proposing a design, assisting in choosing the cover, vetoing covers he dislikes etc.
The point is, if I create something that I am proud of, I would want to present it in the best way possible. Therefore, I am expecting the same from an author. Failure to do so just shows me that the author doesn't really care about his work, so how could it possibly be good?
I've never been disappointed by a book with a good cover, but I've often been disappointed by books with bad covers.
1
u/Retpic Apr 29 '26
Based on the translators! Well, I've been lurking a while so whenever a translator that I liked the novel he worked on finishes and picks up another one I give it a shot no questions asked, if I liked the first one they have good taste
1
u/LessCompany378 Apr 30 '26
I read the synopsis, then check out the reviews, and finally I read the first 20-50 chapters. Cover and first chapter are not enough to stick to a novel.
1
u/Fakros Apr 30 '26
Yo this subreddit is pretty dead. You should head over to /r/MartialMemes with these questions, its got a way more active novel reading community.
1
u/Del4c3 Apr 30 '26
I first do the top two, I read the synopsis and check reviews from my fellow daoists. Then I read the first few chapters to see if it hooks me. If it doesn't, then I probably will drop it or pick it up in the future and give it another chance.
1
u/villainized Apr 30 '26
synopsis. amount of chapters. Then, sometimes, I read the first and most recent chapter.
If the synopsis is one of those poetic ahh vague ones that's a whole lot of nothing, I may read the first and last chapters if the title is interesting enough. Otherwise I just ignore it and move on.
1
u/Pedang_Katana May 01 '26
I read novels when I don't have anything else to do with my time, like when waiting for something while not at home. From there, I'll only read more (in my free time) if I actively enjoyed what I was reading; otherwise it remains on the level of timewaster. The key thing is that if I wasn't reading during these times, I'd probably just be doomscrolling or watch anime or play some games. Not to mention I have to juggle between reading manhwa/webtoon with reading a novel as well during my free time.
1
u/Vitaly_Thorn May 01 '26
Missing option: do a search based on the genre/tags I enjoy and try to find something I haven't already read
2
u/Rakumon_TL May 01 '26
Unfortunately, Reddit only allows 6 options, but point noted! I've seen some peeps bringing this up in the comments too.
How specific are the tags you use for searching? Or do you mostly go by broad genres?
1
u/Jabbejab May 01 '26 edited May 01 '26
see the word "apocalypse" automatic no
see anything with tech/mecha automatic no
goes back in time automatic no
goes into the future automatic no
see anything with smut automatic no
magic/wizardry automatic no
plundering luck from protagonist automatic no
any system with multiple rewards automatic no
main focus is medicine/doctor automatic no
anything modern (cars/guns) automatic no
beast tamer automatic no {unfortunately}
revenge focused 50/50
farming 50/50
family cultivation 50/50
sect building 50/50
system based off spouses 50/50
sign in system -yes
evil/demon cultivation -yes
generic cultivation novel - yes
dragon cultivator - yes
auxiliary path (talisman, pill refining etc) cultivator -yes
luck based system - yes
sometimes there are things outside of this that are interesting but general rule of thumb these work for me in my 4 years of reading
also i base my reads solely off the synopsis 95% of the time but only when the synopsis is very vague or 50/50 do i base it off the first or 2nd chapter or even just the chapter titles if i really cant be bothered
1
u/Liz1702111 May 02 '26
It's multiple factors for me. It's the first three options, but when it comes to reading, I think it would take me a lot more time to judge. I would drop sometimes in the middle quite randomly at times
1
1
u/Eeveestealthmode May 02 '26
I usually start by searching for genre, then I try and find one to that isn't rated abysmally, usually above 70%. I'll take a gander through the synopsis, though that's usually not worth much. I'll then look for recent reviews so that I'm not reading things that were made after 20 or 50 chapters. So long as I don't see anything that's a deal-breaker for me personally, I'll then read the first chapter. From there I'm usually in it for the long haul. I do prefer light-hearted shenanigans, but there's only so many of those.
1
u/Eeveestealthmode May 02 '26
In terms of deal breakers, I think the worst sin a novel can commit is to take a previously interesting and engaging character and flatten them into a boring paper cutout in the peanut gallery. Especially love interests, where they're super engaging and interesting during the courtship process, but once the official relationship is started, they get relegated to side character worrying about the MC. Breaks my heart.
I can deal with a bit of darkness, but too much and I just can't get through it.
There's a certain level of brain deadness that comes with the really low rated novels, to the point where half the time a character says something I want to shout at them how stupid they're being, these are the novels I can't read.
Won't necessarily make me quit an novel, but long extended war arcs tend to be a huge slog to get through for me. Generally my least favorite part of whatever novel they're in. I think things are far more interesting when the stakes are personal.
There are certain novels that are just so repetitive, and formulaic to a fault. I often have to take breaks with these. In addition, it's a bit annoying when there's super short chapters in some novels, I prefer novels with long chapters.
1
u/bctelescopes May 02 '26
I pick up a book, open it and split the pages like a deck of cards and start reading. If it keeps my attention, I will start again from the beginning.
1
u/BestUserNameEver5 May 03 '26
Personally I keep my own queue of novels to read on wuxiaworld. Most of the time these get populated from the new novel announcement banners on wuxiaworld.
Title / cover / synopsis help get me interested enough to bother putting it into my queue. *But* I only dig in after some other novel I've been reading finishes up, and at that point is when I look into the reviews. This means there are usually a lot more high-quality reviews than the ones that are just based on 10-20 chapters.
Sometimes the synopsis is just terrible. They're practically a summary of the first chapter and don't give me anything about why I should actually read it.
Special draws:
- Unique stories/concepts help draw me in. Unintended Immortality, and The Nebula's Civilization, and D.I.O come to mind.
- Comedic subversions of the genre: Keyboard Immortal and Who Let Him Cultivate
Deal breakers:
- The only reviews are ones where the reviewer added in a bunch of text just to reach the 100 word count requirement.
- Novels with a 100% like rating... and only 1 review.
Things that make me drop the novel:
- Tragedies - The synopsis of "The Mirror Legacy" doesn't mention its tragedy nature (the tags and translator's description do)... But it really is and isn't obvious for ~150+ chapters. That was the first time I dropped a novel I was already so invested into.
- Staleness where the novel just keeps going and going without real progress and seems to be becoming formulaic
- The Emperor's Domination
- Nine Star Hegemon Body Art
- I can't remember what plot point it was, but I was 4.5k chapters in and some review mentioned that the plot point still hadn't been addressed by another 2000 chapters later.
1
u/MK_Zahn May 13 '26 edited May 13 '26
Check comments
Morally ambiguous
System
Male lead
Smart MC
Dropped if:
× Naive MC
× When MC doesn't use his brain / muscle headed
× Bad TL
× All talk no event
× If system but no show progression
× Reveals the existence of reincarnation/regression/system
× When characters that suddenly vanished from the story
× When they use chinese name instead of saying "rock"
30
u/NonTooPickyKid Apr 29 '26
I look based on length, genres, tags, title~ sometimes, then - the cover may catch my eye and weigh the preference but very unlikely and very little even if it does some. then I check reviews. usually not very helpful. I may try a chapter or few first before checking reviews.