Writing Wrongs

May 17, 2007

Booking Through Thursday

It happens even to the best readers from time to time� you close the cover on the book you�re reading and discover, to your horror, that there�s nothing else to read. Either there�s nothing in the house, or nothing you�re in the mood for. Just, nothing that �clicks.� What do you do?? How do you get the reading wheels turning again?

You know, this is why, in part, I started to write. I wanted something made to order, not what someone else wanted to read, not what publishers (or their marketing departments) thought I wanted to read.

By that same token, I do realize that no one else may want what I do and/or write. Just because I love blueberry and anchovy pancakes doesn�t mean anyone else will. (Actually, I made that up and I�m not the least bit tempted by that combination.)

A lot of people have mentioned returning to old favorites. That�s a good tactic, I think. I try to avoid a reading slump by �reading around� which is not even close--morally or physically--to sleeping around. I know series are meant to be read one after the other, but that�s a one way ticket to burnout for me.

To avoid this, I�ll limit myself. If a beloved author has a new book out (especially if she�s still working toward being established), I will buy right away, but I might not read until much later.

Sadly, I burnt out on Sue Grafton. And Patricia Cornwell, too (although something happened around book 5 that felt wrong to me and I stopped in the middle of it).

So, I try to vary my reading material. Because once burnout happens, I can�t go back. That being said, I recently discovered Alice Hoffman. (Yes. I know. I�ve been under a rock. But think of the backlist!) I don�t think I�m ever going to get tired of her. Still, I�m not being exclusive.

Just call me a wanton reader.

Charity Tahmaseb wrote at 1:49 p.m.

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