AIBU to feel hurt that my husband will not read my book?

It's the rambling style that takes ages to get to the point, and the upbeat tone without genuine feeling, that speaks of AI attempting fiction. OP might have teplaced several paragraphs with 'My mum and sister have been helpful and supportive in reading my 120 page draft novel, but DH refuses to read even a chapter and I am hurt'.

I've got more than thirty published books and most of my family have never read a word I write. I don't really want them to. My mum only read part of one of my books and complained about the 'bad language' (but was very proud when it won an award and touted it around to everyone she knew).

When I teach writing I say 'never give your book to anyone who might die by your hand if they criticise it' - only let people who are unrelated and, preferably, other writers read your work before it goes for publication. Family will never tell you the truth.

So don't hassle your DH. He might be afraid it's not any good and then what would he say to you? He might be jealous that you've achieved a dream and he hasn't. He might worry that he loves it but you won't believe him because you think he's 'just saying that'. Find yourself a writing group and bounce your writing off them. They are more likely to be honest and you will learn a lot more from them than from family.

Might he be jealous that you have managed to produce 120k words & he has not? He may not wish to 'write a book' but he may be jealous of your focus?

You are right, I gave up after a few paragraphs and would do the same with a book written like that.
I just checked the post. I did notice the apology for typos but typos are not what I am talking about.

It doesn't read like AI to me. AI has a distinctive style, such as grouping things by three, and the overuse of negatives. Stuff like: 'this post was written by AI. Not by a human. Not with a conscious mind. But via an unthinking machine.'

If it’s not a genre he normally reads? If he reads books at all, it’s unlikely he’ll like it. My DSis wrote a book about her life and overcoming problems including her childhood -I haven’t read it though I should have, but it feels a bit triggering just thinking about it

Reading the first two chapters would probably mean the OP sends more so I can see why he may not have wanted to start.
I love to write. Not published, but I used to write books for the children. I wouldn't particularly want dh to read it, nor would his feedback be useful.

You need unconnected people to read it that can be honest. Family and friends don't feel they can say if they don't like it.
Described perfectly by a little 10yo that I was chaperoning fir a show once. "If all I had to do was come on in black with a sign saying 'London 5 miles' and I tripped over on the way in, held the sign backwards and went the wrong way, Mum would still think I was the best in the show"

I use Scribophile. You critique other people's pieces, which helps your writing, and they do yours. Most of the time feedback is helpful and you build your own writing group round you.
Yes, sometimes you hear things you don't want to, but on the whole people are pretty nice!

My DH has written several books and even dedicated one to me - but I’ve never read one - they are academic texts on a very complex subject!

That said OP your DH should read your book as he knows it means a lot to you.

It's wonderful training tbf

I was in this same situation with my partner, only the piece of writing was much shorter. My partner is not someone who reads books. He refused to look at it at first, then planned to use an automatic reader on his laptop - a robot voice - to read it out to him. I was furious and withdrew the offer. It was years before I asked him to read something I'd written again. When he did, he liked it and still mentions it (because it was political and a theme that resonates with him).

I think he's probably worried that he wont like it and wouldn't feel comfortable telling you that. It's a big ask, especially as he's seen how hard you've worked on it.

It’s not all that surprising. We spend all day staring at a screen. It’s pretty solitary. I ‘met’ a couple of author friends on the creative writing board on here when we were all querying agents at the same time, and we’ve kept in touch.

The other thing is how well 'qualified' is he to give an opinion?
Books are such a love- hate thing. Totally subjective.
Unless he's a lit grad or similar he may not have the foggiest what makes a 'good book'.
He can praise OP for getting to the end and writing 120K words but the quality, if it's publishable etc will only come from submission to an agent.

Did you read the OP to the end? Perhaps you missed the part in square brackets.

Hopefully OP didn't use AI for her book, but she has either used it for her post (why, since she wants to be a writer?). or has the habit of writing in that style. I am making a serious point, that this is not the way to engage readers.

Maybe he doesn’t like reading? I wouldn’t care tbh. Maybe he doesn’t want to criticise you if it’s bad?

There is no need for this.

My husband is a writer and I asked to read the first draft of something he’s writing at the moment. His response?

Absolutely not.

Better to join a writing group. Getting validation from those close to you is a bad idea. Too personal. As demonstrated by how upset you are he hasn’t read it, god forbid he reads it and doesn’t like it.

I honestly think it’s completely unfair of you to hand the book out to your mum and best friend and husband and ask for their opinions. It puts them in an awkward position. I wouldn’t want to read a book under such conditions. I’ve been put in that position and it’s hard to come up with words that aren’t completely damning at times. You need to join a creative writing group as a starter.

OP, your first post on here reads like the cheesiest ChatGPT. If your novel is like this, it will be terrible, whatever your supportive mum and sister say.

It would depend what it was. If it was a genre I hated eg sci fi or horror I wouldn’t read it either.

Is he a reader?

All you can do Is ask him. tell him how upset you are by his lack of support - and yes, no more essay writing help from you!

I’m an artists I never go to my family for opinions on it. They are either unhelpfully positive or react badly and don’t want to offend me. It’s too close to home

YANBU at all. He promised to do something for you, and then he let you down, even though you told him how hurt you were feeling. That's the real crux of the matter, not the question of whether it's a good idea to get your spouse to read your MS.

If he felt anxious or jealous or overwhelmed or incompetent to judge, or any of the other things people have suggested, he should have bloody well said so - not just brushed off OP with a brief apology and carried on ignoring the problem. He has made her feel like he doesn't care.

OP only sent him the opening chapters, not the whole book. Only her mum and her sister went sent the whole book.