I'm a slow, aged reader who would find reading two books a month a serious challenge. I've always been a slow reader and that pattern was exacerbated by several decades as an editor. I managed to hold my own as a member of a judging panel for a large b-o-t-y contest in the recent past, but the last weeks of the judging (when we had to read the best books cover-to-cover) made me a full-time reader and burned me out for months afterward.
I'm back up to one/month, now. I've cut back on beta reading for other writers, and I'm revisiting some titles I read years ago. In most cases, I understand them differently at this stage of my life, and often enjoy them more. I've also discovered a web site that allows free downloads of pdf scripts from popular movies. These make a pleasant change of pace to narrative fiction because the wordage is so spare and yet, for the movies I've seen and loved, the visualization is incredibly rich.
Now that I think about it, reading a book and a script each month is a worthy goal. Thanks for the suggestion!
Renee--Reading a book and a script every month is an excellent idea. Reading scripts is so interesting for fiction writers--it's a good way to study how conflict, tension, suspense are created & heightened. Drew's Scriptorama is a website I've visited many times for free script access. Is this the one you've also been visiting? There are quite a few resources that allow free script downloads. And I believe all the Oscar nominees are freely accessible as soon as each year's nominees are named.
I download most of my scripts from the Script Lab (https://thescriptlab.com/browse/) because I get their newsletter. I'll have to check out Drew's... Many of the Script Lab's downloads are earlier versions of the shooting script--it's interesting to see how the script and story evolved. By the way, my nomination for best morality tale of our times: Michael Clayton. I wish I had written that!
I used to listen to Script Lab's podcast too - not sure if they're still doing them. So many scripts are available. One of the very best written I've ever come across is The Limey - Lem Dobbs (a pen name) is the writer.
I know the feeling! I give up on books a lot more often than I used to—but I suppose some of this is due to the fact I have more of them coming at me than when I was younger.
I try to read a book a week, but have already read 70 so far this year. A summer reading challenge I’m participating in helps. Currently reading Night Watch by Jayne Anne Phillips.
I'm a slow, aged reader who would find reading two books a month a serious challenge. I've always been a slow reader and that pattern was exacerbated by several decades as an editor. I managed to hold my own as a member of a judging panel for a large b-o-t-y contest in the recent past, but the last weeks of the judging (when we had to read the best books cover-to-cover) made me a full-time reader and burned me out for months afterward.
I'm back up to one/month, now. I've cut back on beta reading for other writers, and I'm revisiting some titles I read years ago. In most cases, I understand them differently at this stage of my life, and often enjoy them more. I've also discovered a web site that allows free downloads of pdf scripts from popular movies. These make a pleasant change of pace to narrative fiction because the wordage is so spare and yet, for the movies I've seen and loved, the visualization is incredibly rich.
Now that I think about it, reading a book and a script each month is a worthy goal. Thanks for the suggestion!
Renee--Reading a book and a script every month is an excellent idea. Reading scripts is so interesting for fiction writers--it's a good way to study how conflict, tension, suspense are created & heightened. Drew's Scriptorama is a website I've visited many times for free script access. Is this the one you've also been visiting? There are quite a few resources that allow free script downloads. And I believe all the Oscar nominees are freely accessible as soon as each year's nominees are named.
I download most of my scripts from the Script Lab (https://thescriptlab.com/browse/) because I get their newsletter. I'll have to check out Drew's... Many of the Script Lab's downloads are earlier versions of the shooting script--it's interesting to see how the script and story evolved. By the way, my nomination for best morality tale of our times: Michael Clayton. I wish I had written that!
I used to listen to Script Lab's podcast too - not sure if they're still doing them. So many scripts are available. One of the very best written I've ever come across is The Limey - Lem Dobbs (a pen name) is the writer.
Two things: 1) I read really slowly, and 2) In recent years I've had a hard time finding books I like enough to finish reading them.
That said, I start reading at least two books/month!
I know the feeling! I give up on books a lot more often than I used to—but I suppose some of this is due to the fact I have more of them coming at me than when I was younger.
I try to read a book a week, but have already read 70 so far this year. A summer reading challenge I’m participating in helps. Currently reading Night Watch by Jayne Anne Phillips.
Barb—that’s great! Let me know how you like Night Watch too - haven’t yet read it but really liked her early book (her first?) - BLACK TICKETS.
Thank you, and will do!