question of the week
Posted on 27 August 2009
It’s another of those mornings when I wonder what I can send into the ether or stuff inside my mailbox (oops, need to buy stamps). I’m pondering why we read what we do.
Last Friday I spent nearly eight hours preparing two submissions and toddling them off. Then I felt accomplished. Also, looking back, I think either of those attempts might, at some point, produce pages one could turn or click on with a sense of, “Nice. That gave me a break.” Many things in print exist to help us in such a way, I’m guessing.
It’s been, well, forever since I picked up a magazine in a waiting room with thoughts of escape as my only motivation. Well, that’s likely not true. I’ve been lured by celebrity photos and captions containing promised secrets of his/her battle with and ultimate success over weight/love/parent failure. But nearly always I’m scoping books and periodicals, imagining my written efforts and the publisher’s needs meeting in a satisfactory fashion.
So I’d love to know why other people pick up and start a magazine article, an anthology chapter, or a book. If you’re not always thinking about writing them, what context usually brings on your need to read, out in the real world?
6 responses to question of the week
I rarely read magazines, mostly books. In books I look for escape, which is why I read mostly novels rather than nonfiction or theology. I’ve never aspired to writing a book so I’m not caught up in thinking how I would do it as I am when I read short stories.
Good question. Many reasons, of course, but just last night I started reading the annual edition of “The Best American Sports Writing” I’d picked up for a quarter at a garage sale because I wanted to pay more conscious attention to writing. I figured that I would pay more attention to the writing in this book because I am not in the least interested in sports. My plan backfired: the storytelling is so good, I am gobbling the essays up like candy. They aren’t about sports, they’re about people. That’s good writing.
Interesting, Sarah, that you’ve focused on short stories. I’ve been all over the map. Even now, when I’ve *really* decided I won’t do fiction, I can’t quite relax reading a novel. Except when it’s Lord of the Rings.
Fresca, it sounds like you found a great deal!
Thanks for the responses. :o)
Great question! My answer is waaay too long for a comment, so I answered it over at my blog, and have asked others for their feedback, too.
Thanks for providing a stimulating exercise.
Cool, Beth. I shall traipse over to your place now and see.
“Traipse” is one of those fabulous words used by my mother, late of Mississippi. Haven’t heard it in a long, long time. “Look at that prissy thing, traipsing all over town.” :)