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Original poster

To think nobody ‘pads’ in real life, is this just a book thing? Stuff you only read in books…

322 replies

Hottubby · 29/10/2022 14:12

‘She slipped on his shirt and padded across the room ‘
Does anyone ‘pad’ in real life? I have read it 4 times this week (I’m on holiday and reading a lot of chic lit!). Why is it only used in books?

OP posts:
Thelittleweasel · 29/10/2022 18:36

@SpidersAreShitheads
TMI I'm sure but I laughed so much I w*t myself. Thank goodness for the urologists on Tuesday week

georgarina · 29/10/2022 18:42

Slightly different but there are some overused phrases in book summaries that make me cringe.

Along the lines of 'X has it all. Or does she?'

pastypirate · 29/10/2022 18:46

The whole word 'thrumming' is only used in novels.

pigsDOfly · 29/10/2022 18:55

PuppyMonkey · 29/10/2022 15:49

I've got a friend who is a very successful chic lit author - I enjoy her books, and she doesn't have any padding, but what she sometimes does is have confusing dialogue sections.

So Heroine will say: "What's going on?"
Boyfriend will reply: "Not much."
"And then there will be another thing in quotes."
"And another."
"And one more for good measure."
"And maybe even two or three more."
"Like this."
"Or this."
"And this."

And I don't know about anybody else, but I've completely lost who's bloody saying what by this point. Grin

Oh my god yes.

This seems to be a modern thing and it's very trying.

Lost count of the times I've had to stop and go through a dialogue counting the lines and saying to myself: 'that's her, that's him, that's her...

IcakethereforeIam · 29/10/2022 18:56

Have we had 'hair that tumbles'. That irritates me. Or 'gets tangled in her eyelashes', how annoying (and painful) would that be?

goldfinchonthelawn · 29/10/2022 18:58

Discovereads · 29/10/2022 14:33

I pad when I walk. It’s an engrained habit to walk as silently as possible.
my DH thinks I’m trying to kill him with a heart attack by sneaking up on him…but honestly, I’m just padding when I walk.
my DCs used to think I could teleport as I’ll just randomly appear to them as they won’t have heard me coming.

Why do you have an ingrained habit of walking as silently as possible? We need more backstory Grin

Jeffica · 29/10/2022 19:14

This and the constant 'she bit his lip' no one does that in real life that often!

MrsMoastyToasty · 29/10/2022 19:14

His lip curled.
Her eyes flashed.
He raised an eyebrow quizzically.
A hint of a smile broke across her face.

Sounds a bit like a gurning competition.

eyebright22 · 29/10/2022 19:16

I think the padding is supposed to summon the idea of a cream coloured deep pile carpet in the hero's batchelor pad and / or a gracefully lithe heroine who weighs so little she makes no noise.

pigsDOfly · 29/10/2022 19:33

eyebright22 · 29/10/2022 19:16

I think the padding is supposed to summon the idea of a cream coloured deep pile carpet in the hero's batchelor pad and / or a gracefully lithe heroine who weighs so little she makes no noise.

Sounds like the story of my life.

riotlady · 29/10/2022 19:53

I’ve read all the Bridgerton books and quite enjoy them except for everything anyone says while slightly annoyed is always “ground out”.

“I hate dogs” she ground out
”My penis works just fine” he ground out
etc etc

Weightlossanne · 29/10/2022 20:32

Stressybetty · 29/10/2022 15:24

Don't know if Danielle Steel qualifies as chick lit? She loves the word important. Virtually everyone in her books has a very important job, important clients or father or husband with a very important job. Important works of art round the place, producing important films. Some characters descriptions are verging on sainthood. Heroine is nearly always wealthy, immaculate, beautiful, designer wearing, sometimes has a very stressful important job for an important firm but still manages somehow to maintain a wardrobe of designer gear, flawless skin routine, diet etc etc. Her books are pretty much the same.

When I was in my late teens I was obsessed by Danielle Steel books, at the time I didn’t realise US clothes sizes were different to UK so as all the characters wore size 6 clothes I was convinced they were all extremely skinny. This was in the late 1970s, early 1980s where the smallest size in most shops was a size 10.

BiasedBinding · 29/10/2022 20:42

pastypirate · 29/10/2022 18:46

The whole word 'thrumming' is only used in novels.

Ah not if you read knitting blogs Grin

kateandme · 29/10/2022 20:57

Always inherited a cottage in a village
Escaping being fired or being cheated on
Also following his collar to the dip in his neck.
Or if he stretches and shows a glimpse of his torso
And when they come in with their steaming hot drinks,sit on the sofa "tucking their legs underneath them" ugh these cosy little woman!

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 29/10/2022 20:59

I would add:

Always finds a much better paying job/partner/ life opportunity after being shat on.

kateandme · 29/10/2022 21:00

I read and say all these comments with absolute love by the way.
There is nothing that makes me pad across my floor ,slipper socks and comfirs on,with me steaming cup of tea, into my buttery soft sofa tucking my knees up near the roaring fire,more than a wonderful chic lit.

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 29/10/2022 21:05

IcakethereforeIam · 29/10/2022 18:56

Have we had 'hair that tumbles'. That irritates me. Or 'gets tangled in her eyelashes', how annoying (and painful) would that be?

I think only a man would write hair tangled in eyelashes.

A woman would just be pissed off with it happening.

RoseAndGeranium · 29/10/2022 21:11

LuckyDipForTheEuro · 29/10/2022 14:42

"Very well" as a curt acknowledgement. I have never in my life heard anyone say this in everyday life. It's like something from the 1940s.

Cupping hands around a mug unless you are outside and it's freezing. Everyone uses the handle!

Ugh, so true on the mug thing. I think red nosed women in Kleenex and Lemsip ads do a bit of indoor mug cupping but that’s not usually the sort of scene writers are trying to evoke.

Cloudberries123 · 29/10/2022 21:18

Does anyone know the 'Men Write Women' Twitter page? This was inspired by it.

To think nobody ‘pads’ in real life, is this just a book thing? Stuff you only read in books…
earlydoors42 · 29/10/2022 21:18

I always have a problem with people in books "narrowing their eyes". Every time I read it, I squint my eyes narrower and then can't see the book. It really gets to me.

I also agree on overuse of padding. And I read an American book where a woman was walking in her "sock feet" which also threw me a bit.

Sniffypete · 29/10/2022 21:23

I think people only pad when wearing slippers...

DelightedDaisy · 29/10/2022 21:24

I HATE that word. I keep reading it in books too. Why can’t they say walks. WTF does it mean to pad? It makes me cringe and feel like deleting the book from my kindle. Such a shit non word. As soon as I read I’m like “oh, you’re one of those authors”

Untitledsquatboulder · 29/10/2022 21:58

It means to walk with soft, steady steps that make a dull sound (as you would make wearing socks). It's actually very descriptive, certainly more so than just using "walk" for every ambulatory motion.

Discovereads · 29/10/2022 22:01

Untitledsquatboulder · 29/10/2022 21:58

It means to walk with soft, steady steps that make a dull sound (as you would make wearing socks). It's actually very descriptive, certainly more so than just using "walk" for every ambulatory motion.

No, it means to walk silently. No sound.

FifteenMinutesOfMeTime · 29/10/2022 22:02

LuckyDipForTheEuro · 29/10/2022 14:42

"Very well" as a curt acknowledgement. I have never in my life heard anyone say this in everyday life. It's like something from the 1940s.

Cupping hands around a mug unless you are outside and it's freezing. Everyone uses the handle!

I cup my mug especially when working and I've actually got an opportunity to sit down and enjoy a cup of tea. I love warming my hands on the mug..even when I'm not cold.

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