Thriller Survey

What is this for? When I read through the survey, it struck me as being a little generic.

1. At what period in your life did you began reading for your own enjoyment?
a. 9 years old or younger

2. Did you read thrillers when you first started reading for enjoyment?
b. No

3. At what age did you start reading thrillers?
Twenties somewhere

4. Who in your life read thriller novels that made you want to read them as well?
g. No one

5. Do you consider yourself a frequent reader?
a. Yes

6. On average, how much time do you spend reading?
e. 20-35 hours a week

7. Do you read multiple books in a month?
a. Yes

8. Do you read multiple books in a week?
a. Yes(sometimes)

9. At what time of the day do you usually read?
d. Late night/midnight/early AM hours

10. Do you ever finish an entire book in only one day?
b. Very Rarely

11. How many books a year do you read that are not thrillers?
d. 15-25(guess...no clue really)

12. How would you describe your reading habits of thriller novels?
b. I frequently read them

13. Do you talk about thrillers with your friends and/or family?
a. Often

14. Do you ever read the same book multiple times?
a. Often

15. How do you attain the books you read?
c. Buy them from my local book store

16. Do you read all of a certain author’s books, and if so who’s?
b. Yes, I read all(most) books written by Connelly, Deaver, Connolly, Lehane, Pelecanos, Silva.

17. How do you decide which thriller to read?
If I don't know the author...blind luck or some other obscure connection. I met Dan Silva at a previous workplace and so his name jumped out at the store.

18. Do you always read books from beginning to end?
a. Yes

19. What qualities of a book would make you not finish it?
A combination of all maybe?

20. What would you consider most important in a thriller?
b. Good characters(but setting is important)

21. What kinds of “good” characters are your favorite in thrillers?
a. Strong and affectionate
b. Cunning and sly

22. What kinds of “bad” characters are your favorite in thrillers?
a. Murderers

23. What style to you like a story is told?
d. No preference

24. Do people in the books you read remind you of people you actually know?
c. Not at all

25. Do you think that there is much reality in what you read?
b. Some

26. How well do you relate to the main characters in the books you read?
a. Well(often the main bad guy,though)

27. What do you normally do with a book after you finish it?
b. Keep it as decoration

28. What is your main reason for reading thrillers?
a. Excitement
b. Mere entertainment

29. Give the titles of your five favorite thrillers.
a. Bourne Identity by Ludlum...tough to pick specific books beyond this one.

30. Give the names of your five favorite authors.
a. Michael Connelly
b. Dan Silva
c. Jeffrey Deaver
d. Thomas Harris
e. Dennis Lehane

31. What is your gender?
a. Male

32. How old are you?
33 years old

33. Are you married?
d. Never Married

34. Do you have any kids?
a. None

35. What is your current education?
e. Some College

36. When you are not reading, do you watch a lot of television?
d. None(outside football on the weekends and DVDs)

37. Do you watch a lot of movies?
c. 1 or 2 a week

38. In your own opinion, what is the best thing about reading thrillers?
Finding the truth I guess.


I should note that my idea of a thriller might not be the same as others. Some wouldn't include the crime writers I have mentioned in the thriller genre...but I don't mind doing it. Also, the 'five favorite authors' answer reflects my favorite thriller writers and not my favorite writers in general.

Good Luck!

1. At what period in your life did you began reading for your own enjoyment?
a. 9 years old or younger

2. Did you read thrillers when you first started reading for enjoyment?
a. Yes

3. At what age did you start reading thrillers?
_8____years old

4. Who in your life read thriller novels that made you want to read them as well?
b. Mother
e. Close Friend
f. Other

5. Do you consider yourself a frequent reader?
a. Yes

6. On average, how much time do you spend reading?
c. 5-10 hours a week

7. Do you read multiple books in a month?
a. Yes

8. Do you read multiple books in a week?
a. Yes

9. At what time of the day do you usually read?
a. In the morning, when I wake up
c. Early evening
d. Late night/midnight/early AM hours

10. Do you ever finish an entire book in only one day?
b. Very Rarely

11. How many books a year do you read that are not thrillers?
d. 15-25

12. How would you describe your reading habits of thriller novels?
*I have a varied mix. Can’t answer this with answers given.

13. Do you talk about thrillers with your friends and/or family?
c. Never

14. Do you ever read the same book multiple times?
a. Often

15. How do you attain the books you read?
a. Borrow them
c. Buy them from my local book store

16. Do you read all of a certain author’s books, and if so who’s?
a. No

17. How do you decide which thriller to read?
c. I look for the most appealing title and/or cover

18. Do you always read books from beginning to end?
a. Yes (The only book I never finished was by John La Carré. Ever, in my life)

19. What qualities of a book would make you not finish it?
a. Bad characters
b. Bad plot structure
c. Slow development

20. What would you consider most important in a thriller?
b. Good characters

21. What kinds of “good” characters are your favorite in thrillers?
b. Cunning and sly
c. Rebellious for a good cause

22. What kinds of “bad” characters are your favorite in thrillers?
a. Murderers
b. Kidnappers

23. What style to you like a story is told?
d. No preference

24. Do people in the books you read remind you of people you actually know?
a. Always

25. Do you think that there is much reality in what you read?
a. Very much

26. How well do you relate to the main characters in the books you read?
a. Well

27. What do you normally do with a book after you finish it?
Trade

28. What is your main reason for reading thrillers?
b. Mere entertainment

29. Give the titles of your five favorite thrillers.
No particular order:
a. The Bourne Identity
b. The Day of The Jackal
c. The Silence of The Lambs
d. The ninja
e. The hunt for Red October

30. Give the names of your five favorite authors.
a. Clancyb. _Ludlum
c. Forsyth
d. Lustbader
e. Don't remember the names.

31. What is your gender?
a. Male

32. How old are you?
___50__years old

33. Are you married?
Frequently. Lol JK!
a. Yes

34. Do you have any kids?
c. 2-3

35. What is your current education?
d. High School Graduate
e. Some College

36. When you are not reading, do you watch a lot of television?
b. 1-3 hours a day

37. Do you watch a lot of movies?
c. 1 or 2 a week

38. In your own opinion, what is the best thing about reading thrillers?
A good thriller condenses the possibilities of adventure of a lifetime, in one book. A good thriller is plausible and the reader should believe that this could happen to them. In some cases, it does, has or will.

chris_rocks said:

If you guys could fill this out and either submit it as a reply, or you can email it to [email protected], it would immensely help me out with my research.

1. At what period in your life did you began reading for your own enjoyment?
a. 9 years old or younger
b. 10-15 years old
c. 16-25 years old
d. 26-35 years old
e. 36-50 years old
f. 50 years old or older
2. Did you read thrillers when you first started reading for enjoyment?
a. Yes
b. No
3. At what age did you start reading thrillers?
~ 28 years old
4. Who in your life read thriller novels that made you want to read them as well?
a. Father
b. Mother
c. Brother
d. Sister
e. Close Friend
f. Other
g. No one
5. Do you consider yourself a frequent reader?
a. Yes
b. No
6. On average, how much time do you spend reading?
a. Less than and hour a week
b. 1-5 hours a week
c. 5-10 hours a week
d. 10-20 hours a week
e. 20-35 hours a week
f. More than 35 hours a week
7. Do you read multiple books in a month?
a. Yes
b. No
8. Do you read multiple books in a week?
a. Yes
b. No
9. At what time of the day do you usually read?
a. In the morning, when I wake up
b. In the afternoon
c. Early evening
d. Late night/midnight/early AM hours
10. Do you ever finish an entire book in only one day?
a. Never
b. Very Rarely
c. Often
11. How many books a year do you read that are not thrillers?
a. None
b. 1-5
c. 5-15
d. 15-25
e. 25-60
f. More than 60
12. How would you describe your reading habits of thriller novels?
a. I read them everyday
b. I frequently read them
c. I rarely read them
d. I start them often, but rarely finish them
13. Do you talk about thrillers with your friends and/or family?
a. Often
b. Rarely
c. Never
14. Do you ever read the same book multiple times?
a. Often
b. Rarely
c. Never
15. How do you attain the books you read?
a. Borrow them
b. Buy them online
c. Buy them from my local book store
16. Do you read all of a certain author’s books, and if so who’s?
a. No
b. Yes, I read all books written by
Patricia Cornwell
Randy Wayne White
Linda Fairstein
Robert Parker
T.Jefferson Parker
James Patterson
Iris Johansen
Andrew Vachss
Jeffery Deaver
et. al. (I know I'm forgetting some)
_______________.
17. How do you decide which thriller to read?
a. What is recommended to me
b. I read reviews on them
c. I look for the most appealing title and/or cover
18. Do you always read books from beginning to end?
a. Yes
b. Sometimes I read the end before I have finished the body portion of the book
c. I rarely finish books
19. What qualities of a book would make you not finish it?
a. Bad characters
b. Bad plot structure
c. Slow development
d. Lack of time
20. What would you consider most important in a thriller?
a. A strong climax
b. Good characters
c. Good setting
d. Resolved ending
21. What kinds of “good” characters are your favorite in thrillers?
a. Strong and affectionate
b. Cunning and sly
c. Rebellious for a good cause
22. What kinds of “bad” characters are your favorite in thrillers?
a. Murderers
b. Kidnappers
c. Gangsters
d. “Bad” characters that take the role of a “good character”
23. What style to you like a story is told?
a. First-person
b. Second-person
c. By and all-knowing narrator
d. No preference
24. Do people in the books you read remind you of people you actually know?
a. Always
b. Somewhat
c. Not at all
25. Do you think that there is much reality in what you read?
a. Very much
b. Some
c. Not at all
26. How well do you relate to the main characters in the books you read?
a. Well
b. A little
c. Not at all
It depends on what you mean by 'relate'; understand them?=a. Am I like them? = c.
27. What do you normally do with a book after you finish it?
a. Read it again
b. Keep it as decoration
c. Store it away forever
d. take it back to the library.
28. What is your main reason for reading thrillers?
a. Excitement
b. Mere entertainment
c. To relate to the characters
29. Give the titles of your five favorite thrillers.
a. The Deadhouse
b.Strega
c. Down in the Zero
d. The Body Farm
e. Black Water
These are 5 of my favorites - I've read too many to remember them all.
30. Give the names of your five favorite authors.
See the list above
a. ____________
b. ____________
c. ____________
d. ____________
e. ____________
31. What is your gender?
a. Male
b. Female
32. How old are you?
45 years old
33. Are you married?
a. Yes
b. Divorced
c. Separated
d. Never Married
34. Do you have any kids?
a. None
b. Only 1
c. 2-3
d. 3-5
e. More than 5
35. What is your current education?
a. Elementary School
b. Middle School
c. Some High School
d. High School Graduate
e. Some College
f. College Graduate
36. When you are not reading, do you watch a lot of television?
a. More than 3 hours a day
b. 1-3 hours a day
c. Less than an hour a day
d. None
37. Do you watch a lot of movies?
a. More than 5 a week
b. 3 or 4 a week
c. 1 or 2 a week
d. Hardly any
38. In your own opinion, what is the best thing about reading thrillers?
They move fast and keep my eyeballs glued to the page. I very rarely say, 'will you get to the point!?!?!' or put it down because I'm bored. I'll put it down because 'duty' awaits otherwise, I wouldn't put it down til I finished.
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Um, it's great that people are responding to Chris, and it would be interesting to see the final, but maybe people could copy and paste it into a Word file and send it to him?

I did particularly like this response from Inkdaub:

27. What do you normally do with a book after you finish it?
b. Keep it as decoration

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I do think you all fabulously interesting, and reading your responses helps me know you a bit better, but, er...this thread could get really long, really really fast.

Personally, I try not to answer surveys by people I don't know who may be asking for nefarious purposes. Even if the surveys look like fun and a good way to get to know other people.

Not saying this isn't legitimate, but, honestly, how would any of us know?