"You really should be doing something else."
"Like what? Something exciting just happened to the main character!"
"Like blogging. You haven't been blogging enough."
"Monday. I'll catch up on Monday. Besides, there's still plenty of time today to return comments."
"Or writing. When was the last time you wrote? A week ago?"
"I'll have you know it was a perfectly respectable . . . um, ah, six days ago."
"See? And you wanted to have this book done later this month! You've still got a lot of plot to go!"
"But I want to know what happens."
"And you have stuff to edit. And you wanted to start working on that new project about--"
"It's taboo to mention it now! The inspiration will die!"
"My point is, the book will still be there later. You got it at the library yesterday. You still have 20 days with it, and that's without renewing."
"Are you crazy? The character just . . .!"
"Just what?"
"Never mind."
"You're overexcited. Get off that bed and do something productive."
"Reading is productive."
"Possibly, and that's in the eyes of the party involved, not outside observers. Just get up, will you? Or I'll start spilling the beans on that new project idea--"
"NO. Don't mention it!"
"Then get up."
"Darn you. This is a suspenseful book!"
"In which we return to my original point, which is that it will not vanish if you set it down for a while."
"Sigh. I guess."
"Now write a blog post. You haven't done that in too long."
"I know, I know."
"And hammer out some more words, will you?"
"All right."
**********
Have you read any good books lately?
-----The Golden Eagle
34 comments:
I don't go a day without reading. Can't go to sleep without it. No guilty voices for me, it's research innit?
Deborah: Neither do I, unless I'm super-busy. I get crabby if I don't read for too long. LOL.
True. One upside to being a writer: reading is research!
Did you hammer out a few more words? If so, you did better than I have so far today :)
A good book is meant to be read to the exclusion of all else!
Haha, I just finished (maybe a half hour ago) the newest Heroes of Olympus book (Rick Riordan) and spent much of the morning "cleaning my room" and every time my mother wasn't in sight, I quickly read a few words. And then I finished it, and decided that I should probably do my homework. :P
~Sofie
hehe, that conversation sounds so familiar. I think for writers reading is just as important as writing and probably more important than blogging. It's not an indulgence, it's a necessity! :)
LOL!!!! Reading is so productive! Yay!!!
I've just bought Dark Matter by Michelle Paver - I thought it'd make a great Christmas read cos it's a ghost story of the old fashioned kind (I hope!).
Take care
x
Reading is good, and productive. I feel like it's part of our job description as writers. :)
Oh yes- I know this one... only it's usually Himself saying it rather than my head :)
I'm re-reading Lord Of The Rings... and thoroughly enjoying it
Lx
Aww this happens to me too, whether writing or reading, and I suddenly remember all the papers and books I need to get done for school. That's one more reason that semester breaks are the best!
The conversation in my head is more along the lines of, "It's getting late. If you stay up any later, it's going to be impossible to get up in the morning." At about 2 AM.
Haha, that's great. Sounds familiar. I have five library books checked out right now. Fun! (But true, not getting as much writing done...)
Fortunately, I'm a binge reader. I may waste two or three entire evenings reading a book, but then I may go a week without picking up another one. During that week-long break, I write.
I just finished I Am The Messenger by Markus Zusak last night. Lovely book. High-minded YA.
I particularly loved The Scorpio Races. Other good reads lately are With a Name Like Love and Delirium. So many good books to read. :D
Love it! I have the same conversations. I always point out that to be good writers, we have to read good books!
reading: book one in the stormlight archive, 'the way of kings', by brandon sanderson [yup the one completing robert jordan's, 'the wheel of time' series]... sanderson is pure genius!
269 pp in... of 1252 pp....
When I'm reading a really good book none of those arguments ever make it into my consciousness.
I have these arguments with myself about blogging. "You should be doing the dishes." etc. Now I work, blog, work, blog... I don't feel so guilty any more.
Let's see.. Last one was Alex Cavanaugh's Cssafire which will be coming out in February. I'll be reviewing it in a couple of weeks. I'm such a slow reader. I get too many head conversations going too.
Lee
Wrote By Rote
Oh wow, Sounds like you're stressed! I've been there myself. I found usuing a timer helped, so I could devote certain periods of time to certain activities like in school.
When I read a good book I'm so absorbed in the words I forget about other things. If I'm reading a book that doesn't quite absorb me then I'm thinking about the author's choices, their personality and whether I'll bother sticking it out to the end of the novel.
I think many of us have had this very conversation many times. Nine times out of ten my reply is 'what the heck'.
I helped some writers with their critique needs and I must say they were good stories, though not yet published. I can relate though. When I pick up a really good book, I can't put it down until I'm finished.
Nancy
I read everyday whenever I get the chance in my busy world. But I do have similar conversations with myself, LOL. I'm currently reading Afterwards by Rosamund Lupton...very emotional book, very powerful. I'm not even half-way yet but loving it.
Golden Eagle, you've won an e-book (Build a Man by Talli Roland) on my blog! Congratulations! Please e-mail me your e-mail address so Talli can send you your prize. My email add is conversationswithlen AT yahoo DOT co DOT uk.
I recognise this conversation very well! :)
I empathize. I've been wanting to read Inhertitance, but I need time to properly enjoy a long book.
Turn off the chatter and just read and enjoy, Golden!
LOL. Your conscience is clearly stronger than mine because if a book is THAT good, I shut everyone else out. I am an immovable rock until I finish.
So, I see you got to blogging. Did you get to writing?
There are guilty voices sometimes, but I shut them up by explaining to them how reading is actually research and how it will definitely improve the way I write. Sometimes the voices don't buy it, but more often than not, they let me read in peace :)
Oh my...I hear voices in my head as well. This makes me feel better about myself.
Mohamed: Nope . . . but I wrote 2k in my novel today, which is progress.
KarenG: That's what part of my mind was trying to tell me. :P
Sofia: LOL. It must have been a good book! :)
Lynda: I suppose--though there are still other things that have to get done now and then. :P
Old Kitty: I've never heard of that book; the title actually makes me think of astrophysics and the universe. LOL.
Kimberly: Well, reading was one of the reasons I started writing . . . the two work well together. :)
Laura: Is that worse or better than hearing imaginary voices? LOL.
I love LOTR!
That 20 Something Virgin: There always seems to be something else that could be done when you're reading!
Liz: I've been there--though as I'm a morning person, it's more around 10 (or 11) PM.
Carol: Hope they're good reads! :)
McKenzie: Sometimes I go through stages like that; I'm kinda in the midst of one right now.
That's an awesome book--have you read The Book Thief by Markus Zusak? It's also a really good story.
Tricia: I've never heard of those books (or at least they don't ring a bell) except for Delirium.
Too many, according to my conscience. LOL.
Jemi: Thanks!
Yup. Though reading an awful book can teach you what doesn't work . . . only the good ones are more enjoyable.
Laughingwolf: I've never read anything by Brandon Sanderson--well, except for his NaNoWriMo pep talk--or heard of Robert Jordan. Sounds like it's a good book, though. :)
Those are a lot of pages!
Charles: Lucky!
LOL. If there's other stuff to do I usually get at least a little distracted . . .
Belle: Glad to hear you've worked out a schedule. :)
Arlee: Sigh. I really want to read something by Alex one of these days . . .
Can't wait to read your review!
Madeleine: Just busy. :P
I've thought about using a timer, but then I'll probably end up looking at it every few minutes instead of doing what I'm supposed to be doing it.
I usually think about things like that as well. Or how I'd do it differently/if my novel shares any elements with the story.
Tracy: You show those inner voices who's the boss!
Nancy: I don't want to . . . but sometimes other stuff prevails, to the lament of my inner reader. :P
Stuart: I love listening to music! I don't do it as often as I used to; although recently there's been more Christmas music about the house. :)
Vimes is an awesome character!
The Graveyard Book is one of my favorite books by Neil Gaiman--we have a copy of it.
Len: I've never heard of the book before, but it sounds like an interesting story!
Thank you!
Just replied to your email. :)
Talli: I wonder if it affects a lot of readers. Probably, I'd guess.
Carolyn: I really, really want to read Inheritance--I've had a hold on it for a couple weeks now, but the libraries who have it aren't sending it out. Sigh.
Alex: I try, I try!
Krispy: Sometimes I'm like that. And I get really crabby if anyone tries to disturb me. :P
Not really . . . I wrote 2k today, though.
Nutschell: Beating them down with logic usually works. :)
Michael: It makes me feel better, too, knowing I'm not the only writer/reader with voices out there. LOL.
Hehe, that made me laugh. If I get into a book enough, even the voice that tells me I should be doing something else gets gagged. Also, my voice usually ends up telling me that it's two in the morning, I have to get up for work in a few hours, and what am I still doing reading?
I didn't realize that I have these same conversations while reading until you posted this. Hilarious!
Wow, your inner slave driver does NOT give up!
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