Previously on the blog….
I mentioned I have a peculiar method to selecting the next book I read. I also said that it required (offered an excuse for) a blog post all it’s own. Here we go.
Once upon a time, I stared at my bookshelf, unable to decide what to read next. The new Batman graphic novel? That classic I lied about reading? Maybe that book about grammar/writing strategies? Something heavy? Something light? Should I read a stand alone or start a series?
Too many choices birthed a maddening amount of indecision. I avoided harder books, focused on the lighter reads that wouldn’t help me learn the art of writing. I needed a system.
Over the years, the system has evolved and changed with my needs, but the core principles have remained. There is a change coming with the new year. One that I can’t promise will last. I hope it does, but we’ll see.
At the moment the pattern is as such. Stand Alone Fiction – Graphic Novel/Novella – Non-Fiction – Graphic Novel/Novella – Series Fiction – Graphic Novel/Novella – Non-Fiction – Graphic Novel/Novella. Repeat.
If I run out of Graphic Novels or Novellas, I sub in an anthology. It hasn’t happened yet, but a backup plan is in place.
For awhile, I focused my stand alone efforts on singular authors. Reading them until I made my way through all their work. I’ve since abandoned that as I’ve come to read more widely. Next year, I hope to add a single short story to the beginning of my day, every day. Not sure how this will work, but I’m game.