Good writers need to be readers. A few days ago, a fellow writer and I were discussing how little we both had read in recent months. Retirement should be an opportunity for more reading – not less!
Some days it’s a struggle to find time to write, let alone read more than a chapter or two in bed before I go to sleep or the odd occasions when I take the bus into town or in the waiting room at the dentist, surgery etc. My mornings are taken up with yoga, tai chi and line dancing and there are family commitments, regular meetings with my writing groups, not to mention cooking, cleaning, washing, ironing and the general paraphernalia of everyday living.
As writers, we inevitably write the kind of books we like to read. In recent years, I have to confess cozy crime novels now dominate my reading list to such a degree that the only other genre that I tend to read are my novels written by my romance/fantasy/dystopian/historical indie author friends who have asked me to either act as beta reader or sent me an advanced reader copy to review.
For many years, I was a regular user of my local library. Sadly, it closed a few years ago which means my only option is to use the central library. My trips into town are few these days so the majority of what I read I get online. A couple of discount book sites send me a daily selection in my chosen genre, many of which are free. It’s been a great place to discover ‘new’ authors. There are so many sitting on my Kindle, I’ve had to call a halt.
I am also a reader for Mystery People, and this is the place where I find highly rated commercially published authors that are new to me including several that I now read avidly.
We spent some time in my last writing group meeting discussing how we make our reading and book buying choices. It seems that I am not alone!
Does any of this ring a bell with you? I’d love to hear what you do. Do add your comments in the comments box below or feel free to drop me an email about any – or all – of the pointers below.
- Do you only buy books written by your favourite authors or splash out on unfamiliar writers?
- What influences what you read – friend’s recommendation, special offer, subject matter, number of reviews, etc?
- Do you use discount websites such as Book Bub, Reading Deals, Awesomebooks, etc and which ones do you find best?
- Do free books sit on your ebook reader at the end of a very long list?
Happy reading!
I read every day. A book. It’s the only way to avoid social media which I DO read but not as much. Reading is what I do for enjoyment. MY library is still open and I fight for them every day. GOOD LUCK!
I read new authors all the time but do stick with my favorites, also. I, occasionally, will reread a book I really loved but find as I get older, the ones I did love are not as interesting as they were. I do love books that make me laugh, such as Cotillion by Georgette Heyer and Aunt Sophie’s Diamonds by Joan Smith. I feel very sad that so many of today’s children do not know how reading can brighten your life. I am, also, a fan of teaching a child cursive writing, but that is probably the old in me. I think about all the facts, information, etc. I know actually came from fictional stories. I have always felt children would retain more history if it were written in fiction form.
I mostly read books by my favorite authors but do try new authors as well. I also have many e books on my Kindle app to get to. I win books from Goodreads, BTC Bookclub and am a Barnes and Noble member. I am a ARC reader for several independent, self published authors too. I read every day as I find it relaxing.
I read nearly every evening for an hour
Or two. Helps to unwind after a busy
Day. I’m finding it hard to be single again after the passing of my husband with lots to do and a handicapped daughter to also take care of. She is missing him terribly, so I read mainly authors I already have been reading
Over the past few years Cheers.