Reading
*crossposted from my Emma Blake journal (figured I should start building that identity if I'm going to use it):
I think, or hope, that most writers find their way to this creative path by reading. I know I did. From the moment I started to learn my alphabet, I had a book in my hand. Sometimes two. Being an only child probably helped fuel my reading obsession. I could lose myself in amazing adventures in my head. Making new friends and family members as I slipped into storybook characters and lived out their lives.
And, I wanted more. Read longer works, more intense works. Traveled to the future and the past. To worlds unknown and worlds created by minds I could only envy. Until I started thinking of my own worlds. Oh, I didn’t write actual stories at first. I was much more of a world builder. (Of course, now I’m more of a story writer and less of a world builder. I get impatient to see where my characters will lead off to.)
Unfortunately, with writing the time to actually read slips away until you look up one day and realize it’s been over a month since you’ve read an entire month. I read a little bit more last year than I had the year before, but no where near the hundreds of books I year I used to read. And, while it’s not possible to reach that point again, I can do better with the reading. Or, at least try.
To do so, I’ve signed up for eHarlequin’s 10,000 books in 2007 reading challenge, a title that’s a little miss leading as that’s overall total. They expect every individual taking part to read 100 books, or more. (And no…the monthly discount coupons have nothing to do with it. Really. ) They stipulate that the books you read be at least 50% theirs (new or old as long as it’s new to you). Not a problem really, as the only way I’m going to get to 100 books is by reading quite a few of the shorter category books. I’ll be writing my thoughts on the books in the blog they ask that participants maintain which can be found here.
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Now for original content:
In other news, I've been poking around the internet instead of doing things I should be doing like giving Persephone a read over, getting my 750 words done on Garden of Bloody Souls (which I have managed to keep up every day this year), or figuring out what the hell went wrong in Redemption.
I wish I could be more active on Romance Divas just to have a chance to take part in the Mentor Program, but I haven't been, so I guess I'm out of luck there. *shrugs*
I think, or hope, that most writers find their way to this creative path by reading. I know I did. From the moment I started to learn my alphabet, I had a book in my hand. Sometimes two. Being an only child probably helped fuel my reading obsession. I could lose myself in amazing adventures in my head. Making new friends and family members as I slipped into storybook characters and lived out their lives.
And, I wanted more. Read longer works, more intense works. Traveled to the future and the past. To worlds unknown and worlds created by minds I could only envy. Until I started thinking of my own worlds. Oh, I didn’t write actual stories at first. I was much more of a world builder. (Of course, now I’m more of a story writer and less of a world builder. I get impatient to see where my characters will lead off to.)
Unfortunately, with writing the time to actually read slips away until you look up one day and realize it’s been over a month since you’ve read an entire month. I read a little bit more last year than I had the year before, but no where near the hundreds of books I year I used to read. And, while it’s not possible to reach that point again, I can do better with the reading. Or, at least try.
To do so, I’ve signed up for eHarlequin’s 10,000 books in 2007 reading challenge, a title that’s a little miss leading as that’s overall total. They expect every individual taking part to read 100 books, or more. (And no…the monthly discount coupons have nothing to do with it. Really. ) They stipulate that the books you read be at least 50% theirs (new or old as long as it’s new to you). Not a problem really, as the only way I’m going to get to 100 books is by reading quite a few of the shorter category books. I’ll be writing my thoughts on the books in the blog they ask that participants maintain which can be found here.
****************
Now for original content:
In other news, I've been poking around the internet instead of doing things I should be doing like giving Persephone a read over, getting my 750 words done on Garden of Bloody Souls (which I have managed to keep up every day this year), or figuring out what the hell went wrong in Redemption.
I wish I could be more active on Romance Divas just to have a chance to take part in the Mentor Program, but I haven't been, so I guess I'm out of luck there. *shrugs*