The Joys of Dissection

I was just talking to a good friend about things we've read: specifically about authors who are very popular but not very good.

I'm not going to get on my high horse here and claim that I've never read trash. I'm not even going to claim not to have enjoyed it. It's just that when I'm reading something strictly for pleasure - something I know is not going to illuminate ANYTHING, I don't question it. I just let the words wash over me and create the story and forgive them when they suck.

Mostly, though, I read stuff that I want to learn something from. I'm reading nonfiction to figure something out, or reading the work of authors I'd like to emulate. When I'm reading those things, I'm not a fast reader. I will read the same paragraph many times to figure out why it made me feel a certain way. I will look at how a very skillful writer weaves imagery without necessarily resorting to metaphor or how verb choices set the tone for an entire scene. I like noticing the use of color and texture in writing, and whether or not a writer pays attention to the musicality of the work.

I can tell you, in lengthy and vivid detail, why I like the authors I like. I can tell you what distinguishes them from other similar authors and why I think they're better or not as good. I can tell you their weaknesses and their strengths.

I hope, at the end of the day, all this comes out in my own writing.