How to read more, avoid rewriting your novel
Posted: July 1, 2012 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a commentI haven’t started rewriting the Ooning yet. Actually, that’s not true. I’ve done a good deal of work on it, but I’ve managed to avoid putting down any of the second draft by doing other things. I’m now happy with it from a plot perspective. I think. A friend recommended I read Nail Your Novel by Roz Morris. She’d heard it gave out good advice for struggling first-timers, and so it does. It’s short, but does an enlightening job of walking you through the most common traps associated with getting your book to completion. It affirmed I was right to rewrite from scratch. It wasn’t finished. It’s barely started, in fact.
- Get yourself a Goodreads account. I’ve mentioned this before, but it really is a great site. Everything about it encourages you to read. Reading’s good. Do this.
- Buy a Kindle. Anecdotally I’m sure you’ve heard friends say they started reading more when they bought one. It’s true. I got one for Fiona a few Christmases ago, and she uses it a lot. I bought a Kindle Touch recently and I can’t put it down. Instant books and dictionary, an amazing screen, one-handed reading (handy for Fifty Shades of Grey) and never having to worry about carting heavy books around again make Kindle essential for any reader or writer. Why don’t you have one? I finished Matterhorn on it a few days ago (it’s a 600-page book with none of the annoyances of 600-page books) and now I’m reading a Palahniuk on paper. It’s a great novel, but going back to springy, shadowed, curvy pages feels odd. It’s digital for me.