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What to read next?

May 15th, 2008
by gav.

This is always a hard choice for me. On the one hand I have books that have one the shelves for ages(read years) that I should give time to and then there is the pile of new releases that are shouting at me we’re new read me now! And usually I try and balance personal reading with review copies from publishers. The problem comes when I just can’t settle and pick a book. I think about it, put it down, read a couple of pages and then move on to the next one.

Reading for me has a lot to do with mood. Do I want to read something comforting by a writer I know or read something new that I might not like. Added to that is when my inner editor is front and centre and it takes quite a lot to impress him.

For example I’ve picked and put down two books that I’ve had sitting in the pile for a little bit. My problem is that that my inner editor is shouting and screaming as I read. “Show not tell! Show not tell!” I think I’m a bit of a snob. So this leaves me with a bit of a dilemma. Should I struggle and hope it’s a phase and that I won’t end up hating every second. Or should I move on?

I usually choose move on as I’m not enjoying it. Quality of writing I think is important for me even if I’m reading a genre that isn’t considered literary, which isn’t a fair comment to make as I’ve read more quality writing in genre fiction that I have in the literary books. Though I’ve also read some of the worse writing in genre titles as well.

Anyway, I’m hoping to find something I’ll like soon. Currently I’m trying Andrew Martin’s The Necropolis Railway. Fingers crossed.

Posted in: Award Winners, Comment, New Writers, Reading, ramblings.
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  • gav
    Oh, I like shelf fiddling. I have a special shelf that I try put books in order of reading on and I'm always moving things around.

    Maybe I should just glue them to the shelf?
  • gav
    Oh, I like shelf fiddling. I have a special shelf that I try put books in order of reading on and I'm always moving things around.

    Maybe I should just glue them to the shelf?
  • I tend to read newer releases now, but I make a point about going back and picking out some older books for myself and the blog :D In fact, when I buy for myself, it's all older stuff that I can't normally ask for!

    I tend to go by mood as well -- I'm no good at forcing myself to read something 'cause it's been on my shelf for too long. I have to fiddle around tidying up the shelf, re-read the blurb, put the book aside, pick it up, read a few chapters and then find myself, hours later, still sat on the floor, hundreds of pages later! :)

    I tend to just read the books that arrive that day, though, unless I make an effort! Good luck with your choice!

    ~Chris
    The Book Swede
  • I tend to read newer releases now, but I make a point about going back and picking out some older books for myself and the blog :D In fact, when I buy for myself, it's all older stuff that I can't normally ask for!

    I tend to go by mood as well -- I'm no good at forcing myself to read something 'cause it's been on my shelf for too long. I have to fiddle around tidying up the shelf, re-read the blurb, put the book aside, pick it up, read a few chapters and then find myself, hours later, still sat on the floor, hundreds of pages later! :)

    I tend to just read the books that arrive that day, though, unless I make an effort! Good luck with your choice!

    ~Chris
    The Book Swede
  • gav
    The downside with book blogging is the constant wealth of wonderful and sometimes not so wonderful ;) new releases that it's hard to go back to books you might have missed or to catch-up with a new-to-you author and see what else they've written.

    I'm trying to make a conscious effort to do both though lack of reading time and guilt about having new books sitting around too long doesn't really make the best place for reading for pleasure sometimes. But a good writer can take you away from whatever mental place you are in and take you to their imagination and their world and character and at that point I know I'm going to enjoy it. :D

    Isn't that the main reason we read? To be taken on journeys we'd never experience any other way?
  • gav
    The downside with book blogging is the constant wealth of wonderful and sometimes not so wonderful ;) new releases that it's hard to go back to books you might have missed or to catch-up with a new-to-you author and see what else they've written.

    I'm trying to make a conscious effort to do both though lack of reading time and guilt about having new books sitting around too long doesn't really make the best place for reading for pleasure sometimes. But a good writer can take you away from whatever mental place you are in and take you to their imagination and their world and character and at that point I know I'm going to enjoy it. :D

    Isn't that the main reason we read? To be taken on journeys we'd never experience any other way?
  • One of my greatest joys used to be deciding what to read next :) Since I started Fantasy Book Critic, I read mainly new releases and by release date, but I know what you mean about mood. Sometimes I think I like or dislike a book more just because of the mood I'm in...
  • One of my greatest joys used to be deciding what to read next :) Since I started Fantasy Book Critic, I read mainly new releases and by release date, but I know what you mean about mood. Sometimes I think I like or dislike a book more just because of the mood I'm in...
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