Hey everyone! Clara Kensie here with another Question of the Week. A couple times a month at Adventures in YA Publishing, I post a question for you to answer. The questions cover all topics important to writers and book lovers: craft, career, reading, books, and more. Join the discussion!
As writers and/or book lovers, we would like make reading a priority in our lives. But very often, we get so busy with family, work, school, household responsibilities, and social obligations that we push reading to the back burner. What deters you from reading? What steps, if any, have you taken to give yourself more reading time?
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| What deters you from reading? photo credit: mikemol via photopin cc |
Lisa Gail Green: Family gets in the way for me. My kids can’t stand it when I have a book open. They know I’m only half paying attention to them. I like to think it’s a good example, though, so I keep going. Hee hee. The truth is I don’t read as much as I used to, but I still have to and want to. I always feel better when I read a good book. How do I make time? I wish I had a magic formula. It’s just something I have to find time for but I’m so glad when I do.
Martina Boone: I always put a priority on reading, because I feel that as I writer you need to be a reader first. I also think it’s important to know what’s out there in our field. I read ARCs and already published books, not to mention a ton of research material. The research is for the day—that’s a legitimate writing activity for me. Since I’m on deadline for book two, my fiction reading is limited to about an hour every night, and sometimes if I wake up early, I’ll read before I get out of bed. In between drafts, I’m planning on taking a few days off read, both craft books and fiction, because I find that’s when my brain resets and problems with my own work will surface on their own.
Jan Lewis: I try to read every night before bed, even if it’s just for a few minutes. On the weekends, I try to read at least an hour before bed. Doesn’t always happen, but I try!
Alyssa Hamilton: For me, school is my biggest deterrent for reading. I am a full time student and also work part time so it’s difficult to get in reading on top of my school reading. But I always have a book on me no matter where I’m going or what I’m doing, so any free second I have, I read. Also, I always read before I go to sleep. No matter what. It’s my personal, uninterrupted time for just me!
Clara Kensie: Besides writing, my main deterrent from reading is…my husband! I would love to read for an hour or two before bed, but my husband and I are both so busy with work and driving the kids around and other obligations, that those late-night hours are the only time we have to spend time together. He’s not a reader (sinful, I know), so we usually watch TV or a movie. I sacrifice reading time for the sake of our marriage. Every single night I vow that as soon as he falls asleep, I’ll turn off the TV and turn on my Kindle, but I’m usually the one who falls asleep first.
Not reading enough is a huge source of guilt for me. HUGE. I look at my TBR and feel overwhelmed. So, to combat this, I have recently resorted to putting reading time on my daily schedule. Yes, I actually have “READ” on my calendar. On the three days a week when I don’t have to go to the office for my day job, and when I’m not on deadline for RUN TO YOU, I read for an hour or two every morning before I do anything else. I schedule an hour or two on the weekends, too. So far it’s working. This summer, I’m going to schedule this mandatory reading time for my kids as well.
YOUR TURN: What distracts you from reading? What do you do to find more reading time? I will be envious of anyone who replies that reading is already their main activity!
