Allison Symes's Blog - Posts Tagged "reading"
What Do You Read?
I love reading fiction and non-fiction. I love the worlds of totally made up stories and hard facts. What I read then depends on my mood.
I am really fond of history so historical fiction and non-fiction has a very big thumbs up from me. I've enjoyed a few of the Ben McIntyre books, especially Operation Mincemeat.
To flip the coin over, I love fantasy and adore the Discworld novels of the much missed Terry Pratchett.
Is it good to mix up your reading? I think so. I see reading as feeding my mind so I want to nourish it well from a good variety of sources. Ideas for writers spark from all manner of places so the more open you are (and this includes in what you read), the better.
And now back to writing and reading!
I am really fond of history so historical fiction and non-fiction has a very big thumbs up from me. I've enjoyed a few of the Ben McIntyre books, especially Operation Mincemeat.
To flip the coin over, I love fantasy and adore the Discworld novels of the much missed Terry Pratchett.
Is it good to mix up your reading? I think so. I see reading as feeding my mind so I want to nourish it well from a good variety of sources. Ideas for writers spark from all manner of places so the more open you are (and this includes in what you read), the better.
And now back to writing and reading!
Why do you Read?
Why do you read? Like me, I suspect you have several answers to this. Mine include:-
1. For entertainment.
2. For education.
3. For research (for a story or post I'm writing. Not quite the same thing as for education above. I define that as reading to learn but for its own sake and not necessarily to "use" elsewhere).
4. Because I always have read and reading is simply part of what I am and do.
5. The book is nearly always better than the film!
6. I like to read at bedtime to help me unwind and have a better night's sleep.
7. To widen my tastes in books and stories, I have to be prepared to try genres new to me so I see this as a kind of exploration of what's out there. I have no idea at this stage whether I'm going to like what I read or not so can't say if I will be entertained!
8. I'm thrilled to be published myself and I do see it as necessary to support the industry I've entered. How can I best do that? By buying and reading books! (A kind of self-help here I think).
9. To enjoy what my friends are writing!
10. To explore literary culture. In the last two years, for example, I've read and seen more Shakespeare plays than I ever have done and part of this is to expand my knowledge here. (It's a very enjoyable exploration too and I love National Theatre Live for making it easier to go to see productions).
There is no right order for any of the above reasons for reading but they strike me as all being very good ones to do so!
1. For entertainment.
2. For education.
3. For research (for a story or post I'm writing. Not quite the same thing as for education above. I define that as reading to learn but for its own sake and not necessarily to "use" elsewhere).
4. Because I always have read and reading is simply part of what I am and do.
5. The book is nearly always better than the film!
6. I like to read at bedtime to help me unwind and have a better night's sleep.
7. To widen my tastes in books and stories, I have to be prepared to try genres new to me so I see this as a kind of exploration of what's out there. I have no idea at this stage whether I'm going to like what I read or not so can't say if I will be entertained!
8. I'm thrilled to be published myself and I do see it as necessary to support the industry I've entered. How can I best do that? By buying and reading books! (A kind of self-help here I think).
9. To enjoy what my friends are writing!
10. To explore literary culture. In the last two years, for example, I've read and seen more Shakespeare plays than I ever have done and part of this is to expand my knowledge here. (It's a very enjoyable exploration too and I love National Theatre Live for making it easier to go to see productions).
There is no right order for any of the above reasons for reading but they strike me as all being very good ones to do so!
What Your Book Choices Reveal
What do your book choices reveal about you? Well, for a start, hopefully, that you have excellent taste in books!
Your choices should also reveal you are widely read, with a good selection of non-fiction books, as well as fiction, on your shelves.
Certain titles give themselves away, of course. Having the Writers' and Artists' Yearbook on your shelves points to there being a writer or artist in the household!
Your choices should also reveal which genres are your favourites as these will tend to dominate your bookshelves. (In my case, it's humorous fantasy and yes I do have a shelf full of Terry Pratchett and Tom Holt's works).
On the non-fiction front, your choices should reveal what your favourite genre is here (for me, it's anything historic.
Your choices should also reveal you are widely read, with a good selection of non-fiction books, as well as fiction, on your shelves.
Certain titles give themselves away, of course. Having the Writers' and Artists' Yearbook on your shelves points to there being a writer or artist in the household!
Your choices should also reveal which genres are your favourites as these will tend to dominate your bookshelves. (In my case, it's humorous fantasy and yes I do have a shelf full of Terry Pratchett and Tom Holt's works).
On the non-fiction front, your choices should reveal what your favourite genre is here (for me, it's anything historic.
Christmas Reading
One of the things I love about Christmas is reading! I usually manage to catch up on at least some of my To Be Read pile. Plus I adore unwrapping a present knowing there is a book inside!
I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. I also hope you love your Christmas stories and books and that a very happy year of new and old favourite books lies ahead for us all!
I've just finished reading a Morecambe and Wise joint biography and it was a great read. It also brought back some very happy memories.
I hope to catch up with a lot of my Kindle reading soon. I love both ebooks and paperbacks, both have their advantages, so have never really understood the conflict. It is just a question of which format suits you, the reader.
But most of all, enjoy what you read. Life is too short not to do so!
I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. I also hope you love your Christmas stories and books and that a very happy year of new and old favourite books lies ahead for us all!
I've just finished reading a Morecambe and Wise joint biography and it was a great read. It also brought back some very happy memories.
I hope to catch up with a lot of my Kindle reading soon. I love both ebooks and paperbacks, both have their advantages, so have never really understood the conflict. It is just a question of which format suits you, the reader.
But most of all, enjoy what you read. Life is too short not to do so!
What is the Purpose of Reading?
Reading, of course, educates, informs and entertains us. I think all three aspects are vital and should feed off each other.
This is where things like the Horrible Histories series have done so well - information presented with humour goes down better, especially with youngsters, than straight facts presented in a more traditional way.
I read chiefly for pleasure but I also read to research and to expand my knowledge on things I may well write about, either in fiction or for Chandler's Ford Today at a later date.
Things I know I will want to read later I will either download straight to my Kindle or send to it (and this is so useful. I often catch up with reading here when on train journeys).
So does literacy and the love of books still matter? Of course, it does. It always will.
This is where things like the Horrible Histories series have done so well - information presented with humour goes down better, especially with youngsters, than straight facts presented in a more traditional way.
I read chiefly for pleasure but I also read to research and to expand my knowledge on things I may well write about, either in fiction or for Chandler's Ford Today at a later date.
Things I know I will want to read later I will either download straight to my Kindle or send to it (and this is so useful. I often catch up with reading here when on train journeys).
So does literacy and the love of books still matter? Of course, it does. It always will.
Books I have Loved
I have spent many a fine evening re-reading favourite novels and short stories. For me, there is no such thing as a book beyond its "read by"date.
It has been my experience even books written in styles we wouldn't use now have some entertainment value and I can usually learn something from the way the author has written their characters. I usually pick up something on each reading.
As for contemporary reading, I am reading a fair number of flash fiction collections, I love reading history (and historical fiction), as well as crime. I am reading far more non-fiction than I used to but I think this may be a reflection of the fact I'm writing non-fiction now as well.
Having a Kindle has increased the amount of reading I do too. I do like the "Look Inside" feature and have often used this. I was glad it was available on my own flash fiction collection. This has given me many chances to try books I wouldn't have necessarily thought of trying.
It has been my experience even books written in styles we wouldn't use now have some entertainment value and I can usually learn something from the way the author has written their characters. I usually pick up something on each reading.
As for contemporary reading, I am reading a fair number of flash fiction collections, I love reading history (and historical fiction), as well as crime. I am reading far more non-fiction than I used to but I think this may be a reflection of the fact I'm writing non-fiction now as well.
Having a Kindle has increased the amount of reading I do too. I do like the "Look Inside" feature and have often used this. I was glad it was available on my own flash fiction collection. This has given me many chances to try books I wouldn't have necessarily thought of trying.
Does Book Format Matter?
Are you someone who only reads "proper" paperback books or are you a full convert to e-books?
I cross the divide. I love paperbacks, they're a great format, but I have found e-books to be brilliant too. They've also saved me a major packing dilemma for when I'm away at writing conferences or on holiday. No more worrying about how many books I can take. Thanks to the Kindle, I can take as many as I like! I only wish it could give me more reading time but devices have their limitations!
But there are certain books I can only envisage reading in paperback - Terry Pratchett's Discworld series with their wonderful covers for a start.
My main reading session is just before I sleep and I read paperbacks and from the Kindle then. I relish both! I do like the bookmark function and find that useful. I am forever losing "real" bookmarks from my paperbacks. Mind you, I often lose pens too. Hmm... doesn't sound fab from a writer, does it?
I've not really tried e-magazines yet though I suspect that will be the next big area I'll explore.
So what do you prefer? Do you think one genre works better in one format and, if so, which and why?
In the meantime, happy reading, no matter what format you're using!
I cross the divide. I love paperbacks, they're a great format, but I have found e-books to be brilliant too. They've also saved me a major packing dilemma for when I'm away at writing conferences or on holiday. No more worrying about how many books I can take. Thanks to the Kindle, I can take as many as I like! I only wish it could give me more reading time but devices have their limitations!
But there are certain books I can only envisage reading in paperback - Terry Pratchett's Discworld series with their wonderful covers for a start.
My main reading session is just before I sleep and I read paperbacks and from the Kindle then. I relish both! I do like the bookmark function and find that useful. I am forever losing "real" bookmarks from my paperbacks. Mind you, I often lose pens too. Hmm... doesn't sound fab from a writer, does it?
I've not really tried e-magazines yet though I suspect that will be the next big area I'll explore.
So what do you prefer? Do you think one genre works better in one format and, if so, which and why?
In the meantime, happy reading, no matter what format you're using!
Music and Stories
I love listening to classical music as I write my flash fiction. So what has this got to do with books and stories generally?
Firstly, I find classical music relaxes me and so I write more easily. Secondly a great piece of music can help you envisage the world you create. If it is vivid for you, as it should be, it will be vivid for your reader.
Reading, however, whether it is my work or not, is carried out in silence. I don't want music distracting me. Besides, my main reading time is just before I sleep! Definitely not time for something like the 1812 Overture (much as I love that!).
Music can convey so much. There have been some truly amazing film scores which can enhance the original story. I'm particularly thinking of the score for The Lord of the Rings trilogy here. Fabulous and fantastic story. The music for the film version reflected those aspects well, I thought.
Sometimes I can hear a piece of music and it will make me immediately think of a story. I hear Danse Macabre by Saint Saens and think of the stories in my From Light to Dark and Back Again as this great piece was used for my book trailer. I hear a Bond theme and I think of the film first but without the books by Fleming in the first place, there would be no movies.
It is quite nice to think that a creative work such a book leads to a film and in turn leads to wonderful music being created for that. What can the stories we read and write to lead to ultimately, I wonder? Well, it should be fun trying to find out!
Firstly, I find classical music relaxes me and so I write more easily. Secondly a great piece of music can help you envisage the world you create. If it is vivid for you, as it should be, it will be vivid for your reader.
Reading, however, whether it is my work or not, is carried out in silence. I don't want music distracting me. Besides, my main reading time is just before I sleep! Definitely not time for something like the 1812 Overture (much as I love that!).
Music can convey so much. There have been some truly amazing film scores which can enhance the original story. I'm particularly thinking of the score for The Lord of the Rings trilogy here. Fabulous and fantastic story. The music for the film version reflected those aspects well, I thought.
Sometimes I can hear a piece of music and it will make me immediately think of a story. I hear Danse Macabre by Saint Saens and think of the stories in my From Light to Dark and Back Again as this great piece was used for my book trailer. I hear a Bond theme and I think of the film first but without the books by Fleming in the first place, there would be no movies.
It is quite nice to think that a creative work such a book leads to a film and in turn leads to wonderful music being created for that. What can the stories we read and write to lead to ultimately, I wonder? Well, it should be fun trying to find out!
Favourite Reading Places
I'm a bit of a traditionalist in that my favourite place to read is in bed shortly before I head off to the land of Nod.
However, the Kindle has widened my choices of location when it comes to reading. I sometimes read from it on a train trip (unless I'm too busy writing something via my phone). I always read from it when I'm travelling up to Scotland for my annual holiday.
One of my favourite things about e-reading is I no longer have to worry about how many books I can take with me when I'm away. I can have loads! I do find I want to get back to paperbacks when I've "feasted" on the Kindle for a bit though. Not that this is a bad thing!
I must admit I do hope we get some good weather in the UK soon. It would be nice to be out in the garden again, with book or Kindle in hand, and a glass of something nice close by. I suspect I may have to wait to August for that!
However, the Kindle has widened my choices of location when it comes to reading. I sometimes read from it on a train trip (unless I'm too busy writing something via my phone). I always read from it when I'm travelling up to Scotland for my annual holiday.
One of my favourite things about e-reading is I no longer have to worry about how many books I can take with me when I'm away. I can have loads! I do find I want to get back to paperbacks when I've "feasted" on the Kindle for a bit though. Not that this is a bad thing!
I must admit I do hope we get some good weather in the UK soon. It would be nice to be out in the garden again, with book or Kindle in hand, and a glass of something nice close by. I suspect I may have to wait to August for that!
Favourite Reading Places
I'm a bit of a traditionalist in that my favourite place to read is in bed shortly before I head off to the land of Nod.
However, the Kindle has widened my choices of location when it comes to reading. I sometimes read from it on a train trip (unless I'm too busy writing something via my phone). I always read from it when I'm travelling up to Scotland for my annual holiday.
One of my favourite things about e-reading is I no longer have to worry about how many books I can take with me when I'm away. I can have loads! I do find I want to get back to paperbacks when I've "feasted" on the Kindle for a bit though. Not that this is a bad thing!
I must admit I do hope we get some good weather in the UK soon. It would be nice to be out in the garden again, with book or Kindle in hand, and a glass of something nice close by. I suspect I may have to wait to August for that!
However, the Kindle has widened my choices of location when it comes to reading. I sometimes read from it on a train trip (unless I'm too busy writing something via my phone). I always read from it when I'm travelling up to Scotland for my annual holiday.
One of my favourite things about e-reading is I no longer have to worry about how many books I can take with me when I'm away. I can have loads! I do find I want to get back to paperbacks when I've "feasted" on the Kindle for a bit though. Not that this is a bad thing!
I must admit I do hope we get some good weather in the UK soon. It would be nice to be out in the garden again, with book or Kindle in hand, and a glass of something nice close by. I suspect I may have to wait to August for that!
