An Author’s Dilemma

One of the most important things I think an author can do every day is read, that is of course in addition to writing. I think most authors are voracious readers; I know I am. I read constantly: fiction, non-fiction, magazines articles, newspapers, blogs, whatever. I love to read to learn but I really enjoy getting lost in the world of another author’s imagination. I have enjoyed reading for as long as I can remember. The problem is that since I started to write, the way I read has drastically changed. Now, most of my reading is for a purpose, not that enjoyment isn’t a purpose, but now my reading is more about learning than pleasure. I’m not exactly pleased with this new development. I used to love getting involved in a good book and fading into the world of the characters in the book. What better way to spend a few hours? A good book can make your problems go away for a little while, or at least send them to the very back of your mind.

But now, as a writer, I read to learn. Granted, it’s still fun to do but not quite as much as it used to be. When I read now, I’m looking for things. No, not mistakes, even if many books published these days have them. Many authors don’t have the time or funds to have their work copyedited. While often I find typos or grammatical errors or even a run-on sentence, I try to read on without letting those bobbles bother me too much. The things I look for now are the things that make a good book…a good book. I get intrigued by a strong transition from chapter to chapter or from viewpoint to viewpoint. I get dazzled by the use of powerfully descriptive words. I am impressed when an author can keep you guessing until the end with a whodunit, while the culprit has been sitting right in front of you, the reader, all the time. I love it when the author takes control of the reader’s emotions and makes you laugh, then cringe or cry, with the turn of one page. I am awed when an author conveys a message by using subtle hints rather than spelling out the obvious. These are all things that I devour as an author, as I learn and develop my craft. And although I will continue to read as much as time allows me to, I am not happy with this new dilemma I am stuck with as a recently published debut author.

Michael Balkind, the author of Sudden Death, is a graduate of Syracuse University, has a successful career in sales and marketing, and has owned several businesses.