Purpose

There are multiple purposes for this blog. First, I'd like to share with you how mental illness can interfere with or enhance the writer's life. Second, I want to explore a more disciplined approach to the writing life. This blog will hold me accountable as I navigate story throughout my battle with mental illness.
Showing posts with label reading. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reading. Show all posts

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Reading Routine Reinvestigated

I've been trying to juggle too many reading projects at once. I was trying to juggle fiction, nonfiction, and a writing nonfiction books. I simply can't do it. Between the OCD and ADD, I'm too afraid to even begin; when I do I bounce amongst them so much that I can't retain anything. Therefore, I have implemented a new plan. I will try to read one book at a time, and try to read it within three days. I've been googling reading speeds and how quickly I should be able to finish a book. If I read 250 words (about 1 page) per minute, then I should be able to get through a 500 page book in about 8 hours. If 1.5 minutes per page, then 12 hours, which is doable. I will read parts of one writing nonfiction book when I need a break from the fiction.

Most of the fiction I will be reading will be science fiction or techno-thriller from which I may be able to get techniques and ideas for my current WIP.

As Thomas Edison said:

"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work."

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Monday, May 9, 2011

Reading Routine Redux

Once upon a time, I had a certain plan in place to help me get through some of my books and to read widely.
I never implemented that plan and instead, my ADD and OCD get in the way, and I can't focus enough to start anything at times.

I am now reinstating that plan which is... to alternate reading 3 books at a time. One can be a nonfiction book about writing, one fiction novel (usually similar to my writing which is scifi), and one general nonfiction book. The non-writing nonfiction I have in mind is about Eastern religions or philosophy.

The only time I can stray from this is if I need to read books for research on my WIP.

Here are my 3 books I'm working on now:

Writing - How to be a Writer by Barbara Baig
Nonfiction - Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E Frankl
Fiction - Fools' Experiments by Edward M Lerner

Do you have some kind reading guideline similar to this? What do you think about this approach?