Books

The Great Book Challenge

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I came across this list (plus a few similar) a few months ago and it was interesting to see it floating around on social media. Everyone started trying to out do each other by getting a higher ‘score’ and it became a competition to see who had read the most books.
I wondered how many people were being honest or if they included books they had started but had given up on after the first few chapters.
Reading should never be a competition, where the prize is finishing the book. Reading should be the journey that the book takes you on.
The best books I have read are the ones that I hadn’t wanted to ever finish, because I didn’t want the journey to end.
They are also the books I read over and over again, eagerly turning the page despite knowing exactly what is around the next chapter.

The hard part

Categories Books, editing, Writing2 Comments on The hard part

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I finished my novel a few weeks ago, before I put it aside and dealt with the stressful experience of moving house.
Now that I am settled into my new home, I have to try and focus on editing the novel – which I am finding more traumatic than the house move!
I feel as though I am stripping the story of all its erratic, rambling eccentricity and taking away its ‘voice’.
I have to be careful not to reduce the novel to a silent shell but focus on trying to put it back together stronger than before.

Turn the Page

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What makes the reader keep reading after the first page? The first Chapter?
What keeps the reader reading when they should go to bed or  when their favourite program comes on TV?
I throw my poor characters into the middle of a crisis from page one. I hope the reader will stay long enough to find out if they are OK but they don’t know the characters well enough to care yet.
Writing is a manipulators game. Trying to buy the readers curiosity or empathy with promise of adventure or love.
I need to learn The Game and give my characters the best chance at life.

The Race

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I always feel like I am in a race against my natural tendency to leave writing projects half done.
I can see the end in sight but then I rush towards the finish line instead of taking my time.
I know I am going to have to edit and edit again before a piece is completely finished, but I can’t help thinking that I am making more work for myself by trying to charge through it!
At least when the main story is down on paper I will have the foundations to build on.

Literary Easter Eggs

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I read Stephen King’s ‘Dolores Claiborne’ straight after ‘Gerald’s Game’ purely by coincidence, without realising the connection between them. So it was a surprise to find the ‘tie ins’ between the books, for example when Dolores shared a telepathic connection with Jessie from Gerald’s Game, once during the solar eclipse and later when Jessie is handcuffed to the bed.

It was exciting to discover these literary Easter Eggs and it made reading the books more interactive, as I looked out for more connections between
other novels. I think it is also Stephen King’s secret bonus system to reward those readers that pay enough attention or read enough of his books!