I recently discovered Goodreads (see the cool widget on the sidebar –>). I love that it gives me a place to track what I’m reading, chat with other readers/writers about books, and best of all: the TBR list. Finally, I have a spot to keep all those titles that I would love to read.
If only I had time.
It seems that most of my reading these days is blogs, newspapers (yes, I’m an old fashioned girl that way), and Twitter, which I think requires you to have a Commander Data-like ability to simultaneously analyze multiple streams of data. Especially during #yalitchat. Oy! If you’re not a Trekkie, see here:
Finding time to read fiction is a struggle, even though I am dying to dive into middle grade reads like The Journal of Curious Letters, The Castle of Llyr, and The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate, as well as young adult tomes such as Shiver, Fallen, and Keeper (what is with the one word titles in YA?). But often the only time to read that I can squeeze between my various committments through the day is when I’m snuggled up with Mighty Mite, reading about dragons or Jack and Annie.
But I wouldn’t give that up for the world.
When do you find time to read?
*Sigh* When I'm sleeping. LOL. I don't really have much time to read anymore. It takes me weeks to finish up a book instead of days. I'm sad π
Hopefully I can squeeze some time in when I'm less busy. Wait…when will that be? That's the problem. IDK. π
~JD
I can so relate. This was a subject I just talked about yesterday. I agree with Justine *sigh*. I, too, just discovered goodreads. Hopefully, it will help. I'll check you out there, Susan.
I try to read 3 hours a night, but adding back in exercise and social commitments is shortening that. I like to read during my lunch break at work (not today though…forgot my book!) and every spare moment I can get (waiting in line, boiling water, etc.). Of course, it helps that I'm single and don't have interruptions as often as you do.
One thing that really helps me is audio books. I thought I couldn't handle it as a visual learner, but turns out, I can. I mainly use them on my commute, but they'd also be useful while doing household chores.
As a wanna-be author I always heard, and believed that to be a good writer, you need to be a prolific reader. So I set out at the beginning of last year to read as much as I could. I read over thirty books, which for me was a huge number. This year I started reading the Wheel of Time series, and my book count has plummeted. Each book is monstrous, and there are currently twelve in the series (with two more yet to be written). But, and here's the big but, I have found that all this reading has been a huge detriment to my writing, time-wise. I just don't have time to read AND write along with everything else going on in my life. I am getting the feeling that I need to cut back on my reading. The only problem is, I have an almost compulsive need to finish any series I start. And the WOT series is really quite good. So I'm stuck until I get through this thing. Unfortunately I'm only on book six, so it could be 2011 before I'm finished.
@Justine I feel your pain! π I read so much in my youth, that in a way that sustains me. But it also makes me know how much I miss it!
@Salarsen Goodreads (and this blog) are the nudges I need to keep bringing me back to the reading. See you there! π
@Ronnica Get all of that reading in now, before the little ones take over your life! My mom also does the audio-book thing. She's a book omnivore (audio, nook, paper, anything really)!
@D. Robert I know what you mean – the push-pull of reading-writing. My son Worm Burner wants to be a physicist, a game programmer, and a chef. He asked me one day if he could do three part-time jobs. I told him it would probably be better for him to do them sequentially, rather than in parallel (yes I used those words; yes he knew what they meant :)). He was excited to find that he could be more than one thing when he grew up!
Finding balance is always a challenge.
I totally know what you mean. Now that I write well…I write instead of reading. So sometimes at night I catch a few glimpses of those printed words but otherwise, not too often. I have too much to do and too little time.
I am in the same boat– too many books, too little time! I read at night until I fall asleep, and I usually carry a book just in case I'm stuck waiting somewhere. Susan, I posted an award for you at my blog.
Whenever I have two minutes – in the care waiting for kids for example. π
@Fantastic Never enough time for writing, even when I do it all day. π
@Ruth Thanks! That was a pleasant surprise! π
@Lisa I need to stock my car! There's at least 10 minutes a day!
@Fantastic I tried to leave a comment on your blog, but no luck – the wordver is blanked out, which kinda makes it hard to enter! π If you are interested in swapping critiques, PM me at susankayequinn@comcast.net
I read on my exercise bike almost everyday. I also read while in the car waiting for my daughter to get out of school, and I sit with Neal while he's reading at bedtime and read my own book at the same time (unless we happen to be reading something together, and then I read out loud to him).
@Rhonda I wish I could read on the exercise bike! That's a great idea. But that's the only time I get to listen to my tunes… π
Between writing and the dayjob and feeding The Husband and The Kiddo, the only way I have a chance to "read" now is by audio books on my way home, and reading MG fiction with The Kiddo at bedtime.
I signed up for Goodreads, thinking it would help me find those not-to-be-missed books that should shoot to the top of my TBR pile, but dadblame, I haven't logged on in so long that I've forgotten how to access it. Thanks for reminding me!
@Cynthia I like the way Goodreads allows you to tag your TBR books with different "shelves" – I put some on my MG shelf, and some on the YA shelf, but I think you could tag them higher/lower priority too. π
I joined Goodreads a while ago but it's only recently that I've become active there. It is exciting to find this whole community of book lovers, where you can discuss books and even befriend authors and see what they are reading. Since I don't have too many friends these days who make reading a priority, Goodreads was an exciting discovery for me.
As for finding time to read, I just have to grab the opportunities that I can find. I have at least one book in every room in my house, which I'm in the middle of reading, so wherever I find myself with some free time, I just pull out that book and read.
@Simcha I'm in awe of your ability to handle multiple books at a time! My brain gets fuzzy, but somehow my mom manages it – she does the same thing: one for each room, plus the car! π
Hi Susan: As writers we all know it's essential to read but the irony is, as writers, and as parents, employees, friends, spouses, etc. it gets harder and harder to find the time. I hate reading in snatches of time (subway, or ten minutes before I crash at night) but that's how I eke it out. But when I go to the cottage for a couple of weeks in the summer and spend, literally, 3 hours in a hammock with a cool breeze wafting over me and snuggled with a good book and a pillow that's when I READ. Sigh. I can't wait…
Oh, how I wish I could find more reading time. Right now, I read at night after my kids are in bed. π
@wordwork That's about how I do it too – and every once in a while get caught up in something I can't put down.
@Shannon If I start reading at night, I'll never get any sleep! π
Loved the allusion to Data listening to four different things at the same time. Yeah, that's my life lately
@Margo Twitter fries my brain sometimes.