The first of five boxes of books arrived at my house today. They’re the books I picked up in DC at the RWA National Conference. I have to tell you, opening Box #1 was like Christmas morning. I can’t wait until the other boxes arrive. While many of the authors are favorites of mine, the vast majority of titles are ones I’ve wanted to read but haven’t had a chance to.
You see, I went through a period of non-reading that lasted a couple of years and now I’m scrambling to catch up. There are so many awesome premises out there and favorite writers that I’ve lost track of. It’s terrible how I relegated my reading to being a luxury. I’d feel so guilty that I couldn’t get past a few paragraphs before the little voice in my head said, “You don’t have time for this. Go write.”
At the start of this year I made a New Year’s resolution to read at least fifty-two books in 2009. That’s a massive drop from my reading habits of three years ago, but also a massive leap up from last year. I’ve found that there’s a direct correlation between how much I read and how much I write. Authors have to refill the well and that means watching movies, getting out of the house, spending time with family and friends, and losing themselves in another writer’s world for a spell. Now I look at reading as a necessity that happens to feel like a luxury.
How about you? Have you ever gone through a reading dry spell? Did lack of reading affect you negatively in any way? Do you make reading a priority in your life?
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I’ve been through the same thing over the last few years. I barely read a book a month and now I’ve set a goal to read a book a week.
And I remember when I got my box of books from RWA (went to Dallas in 2007). So much fun yet I am a bit ashamed to say I still haven’t read most of them. But they’re still on my TBR shelf.
I usually end up bringing home two or three books that are outside my usual reading fare.
Occasionally, I do read them but not always. It’s tough. I want to push myself to try new things, but it doesn’t always work.
When I end up reading certain books in a genre, I do become fatigued with those genre books and need to switch to something else to read.
I have so many books, they are coming out of my ears.
Like katiebabs, I don’t usually go through a dryspell but I do get tired of a genre.
Recently I needed a break from my beloved historicals so I started reading paranormals. Unfortunately, I simply read randomly (based on books needing a review) and didn’t pick up the best paranormals out there.
So now I’m back to the comfort of historicals.
I took a break from historicals for a while, too. Now I’m dipping my toes back in the water.
I have the same problem- there is so much to be done around the house, at work or elsewhere, I am not reading as much as I used to (a book a day) and am not even getting in a book a week. I really do need to find the time in my schedule to read. Even if it means turning off twitter….
I can’t imagine not finding SOME time for reading. At the very least, I read in bed every night. I shut down everything at 10 and crawl into bed with a book.
And, I read at the Y, because I have a nice guilt-free excuse. The recumbent bike is perfect.
If things go well, I’ll even take a mid-afternoon reading break.
I’m like Kimber with trying a new genre. I have a batch of paranormals from RT that I’m easing in between my mystery and romance preferences. Haven’t found one that’s really grabbed me yet.
I’ve made a habit of reading every night before I go to sleep. Every night, even if I’m crawling into bed a midnight, I will still pick up the book on my table and read a page or two.
I do this, too. At least one chapter, no matter how tired I am.
Been there! When I was pregnant with my twins I couldn’t even pick up a book. It was the weirdest thing ever since I’m an avid reader!
Then work and life took over and “time” for reading became a luxury I didn’t allow myself. So I learned to multi-task.
The other “luxury” I avoided was exercising. So I have taught myself to read and walk. Yes, literally. Treadmill or track, doesn’t matter. I can kick out a book in week AND get all my exercise in!
LOL! When I was pregnant with my twins, I did keep reading. After they were born, however, things DID slow down!
When I’m helping out mothers of young children at the bookstore, what they usually want are magazines which are more interrupt-able… though they are wistful for the days when They Read Books. Awww. Mommies.
I go through periods when I read less than at other times, but I always have at least 2-3 books going at once, each of which gets read at a different pace.
Like many authors and avid readers, I read lots of genres and will go through periods where I’m reading a lot of, say, Fantasy and less of other genres.
When I’m in deadline lockdown, I have to be careful about what I read — it needs to be far far away from Romance. Between books I’ll read dozens of books. But, I confess, if there’s a release by a Romance author I love, I schedule the time and afterward read something else to cleanse the writing palette.
I do this, too, re: having 2 – 3 books going at once. Sometimes I’ll have as many as ten started, LOL, but have too much ADD to stick with any of them.
I haven’t had any downtime yet, which is good because I have my 50 books from RWA coming in any day now!
My mother, though, went through a reader dryspell right after she successfully quit smoking. She was just so physically used to reading with a cigarette in her hand that she just couldn’t pick up a book without one for the longest time.
I don’t think there’s ever been a period when I haven’t been reading anything, but there’ve been shifts in what I was reading. I used to read only paper books (as everyone over a certain age, and probably most people under as well did) and I’d go through about a book a day and did for years. There’ve been times when I was reading 90% online fanfic — I still got some paper books for the bathroom and travel, but commercial, paper books were just a small fraction of what I’d been reading. These days I’m reading about half and half paper and electronic, and the vast majority of my electronic fiction now is commercial. I’m reading less fiction on the whole, though, because I’m also reading a lot of nonfiction online — blogs, forums, journals, etc. That’s not really new — I was addicted to the bulletin boards on GEnie for several years until they shut down — but as with everything else, sometimes the tide is high and sometimes it’s low.
Fitting writing in with all this is definitely tough, but I agree that you have to do it. And the key word is fit. You have to do both, reading and writing, as well as some other things. Maybe other people are different, but I find that, like you, I need to pour some fresh colors onto the palette every now and then. I can bury myself in a project if I have a deadline, or if there’s a hot topic online I’m following and commenting on, but I can’t do that long-term or my writing suffers.
In fact, I did more writing during the week I was up in San Francisco with my husband, just vacationing around fourth of July, than I’d done in the previous three weeks when I was home. [wry smile] A different place, different sights and sounds and smells and experiences, lots of new people — it all transmuted into “inspiration” with no particular effort on my part.
Angie
I have gone through a dry spell, both in writing and reading…I think, for me, they’re related to my life — when I’m super busy or if life throws me a curve ball, I sometimes turn to books and writing, but more often than not I just kinda lay back and chill from both…maybe read a little, but not much.
I just went through a tough time at home and am just now getting back to my reading/writing/chatting online and all the things I enjoy. It feels great to pick up a book now after some time off, or sit and let my thoughts flow into a story. Maybe time off helps re-energize my bunny!
But a box of books!?? Love that. And yes, going out, even just walking, gets my creative juices flowing. Sinking into another author’s world helps me too.
Hi Sylvia, that must be great sort of like your Christmas in July (box full of books).
I never stop reading. Even if I’m on vacation—I buy a book somewhere & read it ;even if it’s 10 min. before bed.
My vacation memories include—great memories of the wonderful events & linked with either a great read or a horrible one.
Like others here, I can’t stop reading, anymore than I can stop playing viola or taking photographs. It’s something I can’t live without. However, I’d LOVE to have the kind of “Christmas in July” you’re having!! I’m kind of eeking it out with weekly Border’s coupons, one book at a time kind of thing. Luckily, my girlfriend and I trade books back and forth, so we never really run out. Also, somehow, my father, of all people, got himself into a couple of Harlequin monthly groups, and he gives me the books, still in the box they were shipped in. Nope, he doesn’t read them, and I have NO idea as to why he started buying them, but I’m extremely grateful that he is still doing it! It’s kept me in books a couple of times when my budget didn’t stretch to buying any. I do read online some, but I really don’t like doing that as well as having the actual BOOK in my hands. It just doesn’t feel right, for some reason.
Later,
Lynn
I’ve gone through spells, but never years. I don’t read like I used to, and sometimes I miss reading 4-5 books a week and not 4-5 in a month.
I do read daily, but usually only before bed – that seems to be the only time I have anymore. Now if you count my work or crit work I read a lot…LOL
Ok I gave up the habbit for years, like maybe 4-5 because I wasn’t keeping up with the housework and laundry, and got rid of all my books. It was no problem because I have 9 kids and was too busy to miss reading. Then one day I had to sit in the car while one of my older kids had an appointment and she left her book in the car. I picked it up to pass the time and was hooked again, now I’m trying to replace all my favorites and finding many new but could shoot myself for getting rid of books instead of storing them like I do now in bins under my bed. now I always carry a book with me and sometimes 2.
I always seem to have reading dry spells around exams, but I remember past years when I’ve had longer breaks. If I’m not reading regularly, I don’t feel like I’m getting much done.
Wow, utterly jealous of the five boxes of books arriving.
When I used to work full-time for 18 years, I never got the chance to read a book. I was laid off about 5 years ago and boy have I made up for lost time! I have been reading up a storm! My 6′ high revolving book shelf has over 500 paperbacks on it all waiting to be read! I am absolutely in heaven having all the time in the world right now reading. I probably average over 100 books a year maybe more than that. I have never kept track of how many I have read.
I have also joined various book clubs at Barnes & Noble and on-line. It is so much fun discussing books with people!
I go in cycles, both in time spent reading and in types/genres of books. Too much of one thing burns me out.
I love the feeling of being recharged, though, and of finding a book that is too good to put down.
i’m definitely weak on reading books. Being so absorbed in the every day worries, I hardly have time to read. And you know what! Since I haven’t been reading for a good while now, I find I can’t express myself verbally the way I want to because of diminish vocabulary. I join the library the other day which I hope will encourage me to read more.
cleona.