In my part of the world it has been very cold and rainy of late which, in my book, is the perfect excuse to stay cosy indoors and read 📚 I’ve spent many hours on the couch with a warm blanket, a hot cup of tea and a book. Here’s some of what I’ve been reading.
I often find it interesting to learn about the writing processes of different authors, which is one reason I picked up The Novel Project by Graeme Simsion. Having heard Graeme speak a few times, I already knew we share a fairly structured approach to writing. The distinction between planners and pantsers is mentioned a few times and, like Graeme, I am more of a planner. (Possibly, I’m too much of a planner, but that’s a topic for another time.)
Now, I’m not writing a novel, memoir or biography, but I still found some ideas here that I might adopt in my own writing practice. Using examples from his writing experience, such as excerpts from his writing diary and showing how early ideas developed, I felt that I gained a valuable level of insight on Graeme’s process.
Practical approaches to creativity and writing routines that match the different stages of a project were a highlight for me. As Graeme mentions, there’s no magic formula and it’s more the case that each writer needs to discover for themselves what works for them. This is something I’ve been working on lately in my own creative practice, so it was useful to get some fresh ideas I can try out. And if I ever decide to write a novel, this book could be a good place to start.
As an audiobook, I read (or listened to) The Competition by Katherine Collette. I was attracted by the setting of a public speaking competition, as I’ve not read a book in such a setting before. It provided an unusual way of bringing together different people in a common activity, each with their own reasons for being there. It was nice to see a wide range of ages represented and there were some appealing characters throughout. I quite enjoyed the story and I’m interested to read more by Katherine.
For a classic choice, I decided to read The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald. Partly, I chose this because it is short and I’m still 17 books behind schedule on my Goodreads reading challenge for this year. However, I have started it before and I don’t think I ever finished it, although I am familiar with the story from films. I thought reading it as an audiobook might help me get to the end this time, and I did like the narration in the version I listened to.
I’m still deciding how I feel about the story, but I suspect that what stopped me finishing this book last time might have been that I didn’t really like many of the characters. Perhaps some of the attitudes the characters demonstrate come across differently in the context of today. Or maybe it’s that the story is sad and wasn’t what I needed at the moment, but I might read some of Fitzgerald’s other works and see how they compare.
With lots of ground to make up to reach my reading target this year, I’m aiming to read at least three more books in August. I have a few on the go still, both fiction and nonfiction, plus I’ve preordered the latest in the Hawthorne & Horowitz series by Anthony Horowitz, so can’t wait to read that. Until next time, happy reading!