Reading vs. Writing
I admit, beginnings are the weakest links in my writing. I often can't decide, or simply don't know how to begin my story. I've had so many false starts in the past, it's not even funny. Even now, I am not 100% sure the beginning of my WIP is good. Thanks to my betas, I'll know soon.
Now that I'm thinking about "beginnings," I realize my writing seems to mirror my reading habit. I tend to have a hard time starting on a book. Often it would take me a few tries, or months to get into a new book. I remember it took me four tries to read A Painted House by John Grisham and I just couldn't. It wasn't until I decided to "keep going" that I finally got into it, and the rest of the book was really good (granted, it was a REALLY slow beginning -- nothing much happened in the first 60+ pages).
Currently, I'm reading The Tale of Edgar Sawtelle, and I'm having the same problem. I read through the prologue just fine, but I simply couldn't finish the first chapter (in a way, the first chapter is rather against all "writing advice" -- it's mostly tell, and it's all backstories). I'm still slogging through and hopefully I'll hit my stride some day.
That seems to be a common problem for me, and partially why I haven't finished reading many books. My to-be-read pile is tall. I'm a slow reader to begin with, and with this problem I have with beginnings, I'm often stuck. And that seems to echo my issue with the beginnings of my own works.
Just an interesting self-assessment and observation...
Now that I'm thinking about "beginnings," I realize my writing seems to mirror my reading habit. I tend to have a hard time starting on a book. Often it would take me a few tries, or months to get into a new book. I remember it took me four tries to read A Painted House by John Grisham and I just couldn't. It wasn't until I decided to "keep going" that I finally got into it, and the rest of the book was really good (granted, it was a REALLY slow beginning -- nothing much happened in the first 60+ pages).
Currently, I'm reading The Tale of Edgar Sawtelle, and I'm having the same problem. I read through the prologue just fine, but I simply couldn't finish the first chapter (in a way, the first chapter is rather against all "writing advice" -- it's mostly tell, and it's all backstories). I'm still slogging through and hopefully I'll hit my stride some day.
That seems to be a common problem for me, and partially why I haven't finished reading many books. My to-be-read pile is tall. I'm a slow reader to begin with, and with this problem I have with beginnings, I'm often stuck. And that seems to echo my issue with the beginnings of my own works.
Just an interesting self-assessment and observation...
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