Horror Aficionados discussion
"Readers" block?????
Ryan wrote: "Everyone's heard of writers block but I think I'm going through a serious case of readers block. Two times now I've started reading a book only to get half way to three quarters of the way through..."Yes; and when I go through it, I pick up a dependable book and do a reread. I have my favorites such as Skeleton Crew and 'Salem's Lot. One of my favorite shorts stories is The Long Walk by Stephen King as well. These tend to get my mojo going again.
Find something you know is good and is reread worthy and go at it. Just my opinion. :)
good luck and happy reading!!
I run into this occasionally too. But, I never get as far into the books as you do before it sets in. I usually get 20 or so pages in and my mind starts to wander. I will hit 4 or 5 books this way before I buckle down and try to bump the funk.Like Alondra, I run to a happy place. But, I can't re-read books. Instead I grab a book with familiar characters, I usually run to Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot novels or (start laughing) to a Star Trek novel (guilty pleasure!). Either way I go, I usually overcome the block after just one quick read, then off to the races.
I, like Ken, have experienced this, but not as far into a book as you, Ryan. Usually within the first 10-20 pages, if I'm not feeling it, I'm on to something else. If I still can't decide I will fall back to an old stand by that I love or short stories.
It happens to the best of us. It's usually when something troubling/stressful is going on in my private and work life. Or we have something like a trip coming up and my mind is going 90 MPH thinking about packing, getting pets taken care of, etc.
I listen to audio books at work and I have something similar to that. I tend to blank out and not pay attention to the book and then I am an hour into it and have no idea what just happened. When I read a book if I don't like it I force myself to read a certain amount each day till it is done. I am just stubborn and have to finish what I start. There has only been one book I have never finished.
I dont like reading but have picked up the cause. If i read a book I almost feel obligated to finish it to its end. Unless of course i dont like it. But in most cases lately I start it i gott finish.
Aww, Chris I used to be that way. Then I decided that life is too short to stick with reading something that I'm not enjoying. So I instituted a 10% rule. If I don't like it by roughly 10%, it's out. : )
Charlene wrote: "Aww, Chris I used to be that way. Then I decided that life is too short to stick with reading something that I'm not enjoying. So I instituted a 10% rule. If I don't like it by roughly 10%, it's o..."
I really should use that rule as well, but of course I am a guy and stubbornness was engrained at birth so I still struggle through. I usually read several books at once so at least I have other options that are interesting.
It happens to me frequently. I will go through a 6 month period where I'm constantly reading, and then I'll go 6 months without reading at all. It usually happens in the middle of a book.
I think one of the toughest things for an author to nail (and thus for a reader to read) is the middle. Beginning and ending all have momentum and a sense of urgency but it's bridging the gap between the two that can be brutally difficult for both authors and readers. I'm both an avid writer and reader, and I can certainly testify to the second act blues. I think most writers have a pretty clear beginning and ending in mind when they start writing (or at least beginning) but can get a bit stumped with the middle. It's when the author has to start dealing with the reality of their brilliant idea (meaning they have to flesh it out into something more than just an opening act) that the brilliant ideas are seperated from the mediocre.
Charlene wrote: "Aww, Chris I used to be that way. Then I decided that life is too short to stick with reading something that I'm not enjoying. So I instituted a 10% rule. If I don't like it by roughly 10%, it's o..."
i like that 10% rule... mmmm
Ryan wrote: "Good advice Alondra. Salems Lot is tied with IT for my favorite Stephen King novel. Can't go wrong with him in my opinion."see, now I want to read IT.... really.
Ken, I found my happy place!! books piles around me like money... its so sad, that i am such a dweeb.
I have this issue too. I started reading IT got about 3/4 through and haven't touched it. Its been 5 years since I have touched the book. Part of the reason is, I don't remember what is happening and I don't want to start over. Maybe I can find spark notes to refresh my memory.I usually hard core read for like 3 months and then don't for 6.
I will be flying through page turners, never taking a break, then I'll hit a snoozer, *poof*, reader's block. I just can't get into the book and I am one of those weirdoes who has to finish a book if I start it.
Andrew wrote: "I have this issue too. I started reading IT got about 3/4 through and haven't touched it. Its been 5 years since I have touched the book. Part of the reason is, I don't remember what is happening a..."That's not "readers' block" that is King-fatigue! I have the same problem with Pet Cemetery.
Mod
You got King-fatigue from his shortest book?
Chris wrote: "I really should use that rule as well, but of course I am a guy and stubbornness was engrained at birth so I still struggle through. I usually read several books at once so at least I have other options that are interesting...."
I'm a woman and am very stubborn but nothing will make me follow through on a book that's boring me to death.
Jon Recluse wrote: "You got King-fatigue from his shortest book? ..."I got it from reading the dust covers!
Ken Lol IT is a long book. Though I did read Christine after I stopped reading IT and finished Christine. Then I started reading THe Shining, and made it through 20 pages. I think that was when I had King-fatigue
I tend to have readers block a lot, mostly part way through a book series. I'll read the first book, love it, jump on the next and then lose all enthusiasm for the character.I think it may be that I get 'genre burnout' with my particular favourites.
I often get this my problem is that I read in spurts, when I start reading I will often do three books in a week, reading will just consume me and I won't do anything else. This phase normally lasts for 3 to 4 weeks and I find myself all burnt out...or read out lolThen I will go a few weeks sometimes months without reading and often I will get 100 or so pages into a book and lose interest but I persevere until I get back in the mood for it.
I started the reapers are the angels just the other day and have nearly finished it, once I have done that I need to go back to the haunting of hill house and the catcher in the rye because I never finished either of them despite getting more than half way through them both
Ryan wrote: "I find it interesting to discover that some people here read consistently for months on end and then stop for as many months after. I noticed I do this sometimes as well. When I switched jobs a lit..."I find it surprising too as I consider "readers block" when I have a day or two downtime where I just cannot read if I wanted to...not due to other explainable things going on. (dangled two participle in the same thought...suck on that, Mrs Crump!!! - teacher 9th grade English).
I cannot imagine going months without reading. It is too big of a part of my routine to miss it!
I'm about the same as Ken. When I was crafting things, I didn't read that much-probably one book a week-maybe.Now I usually read at least 2 per week.
I've gone through my "dry" periods too. When my kids were small it was hard to find any peaceful time to read so I usually skipped novels and read magazines. Then when I worked 3rd shift for a while I was so sleep deprived the last thing on my mind was reading. But this year has been a pretty good one so far but that's only because I've found myself with a lot of free time unexpectedly and that's always subject to change.
Im going thru this at the moment- just can't seem to finish a book, no motivication. Lack of time doesnt help! But I can read non- fiction no problem! Its annoying cos I started a Harry Harrison book after hearing he'd died but just ran out of interest halfway thru!
This has happened to me more than once. A while back I tried to read Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy and was really struggling gettting thru. I thought that I was "reading defective" because I really just did not like it, even though it had tons of 5 star reviews. I really got depressed and finally just put it down and poked around HA until I found something that sparked my interest - DRACULAS. That really got me back in the groove, just because it was a fast, fun and brutal read. I guess I forgot that reading should not be a chore - It is something I love, so why waste it on a novel that I do not enjoy or cannot get into. I think that was the first time I ever just walked away from a read.
I think this has happened to most readers. Typically the best way I combat this is to re-read a loved book I read a few years back.
For the life of me I cannot read Caitlin Kiernan's books. I don't know what it is about her writing style that is dull for me. Bill, I'm glad you're learning that life is too short to waste on novels that don't grab you.
Bill, I just reserved The Road at the library. I didn't want to spend 13.00 bucks on a book that came out in 2006 that everyone says is depressing. I hope I have better luck with it than you had with Blood Meridian.
Draculas was fun, wasn't it?
Charlene wrote: "Bill, I just reserved The Road at the library. I didn't want to spend 13.00 bucks on a book that came out in 2006 that everyone says is depressing. I hope I have better luck with it ..."
Depressing, yes. Worth 13.00 (if you had to)? Yes.
I remember tears running down my face while preparing dinner (audio version) and there wasn't an onion in sight! But the lasting memory is of an excellent story really well told. I haven't tried another by Cormac McCarthy yet, but someday I will.
I hope you enjoy it :)
Like I said i realhave to be in the mood to read, otherwise I feel like I'm reading to prove to people that I can why would I do that I have no idea I'm just saying thats how it feels. If I really like the book then I can read it no problem but If Im not really into it as much I feel a block myself.
ive bounced around three or four books lately. always feel guilty quitting on a book, but i finally settled on Dune and so far so good
I definitely sympathize.I started reading Dean Koontz's Lightning, finally got to the point where I'm interested... and then sort of slowed to a crawl on my reading.
Also reading another non-fiction book very slowly.
I think it's because of stuff going on that both keeps me too busy and keeps my brain overoccupied.
Yeah, with IT you almost need to take a break halfway through lol. I did that a few weeks ago and am gonna pick it back up soon, when I'm done with Dead Man's Song. I mean, with how much I read of IT, it's pretty much the same length as an average novel haha.
Robb wrote: "I definitely sympathize.I started reading Dean Koontz's Lightning, finally got to the point where I'm interested... and then sort of slowed to a crawl on my reading.
Also reading another non-ficti..."
I read most of Koontz stuff slowly too. Just doesn't "addict" me :/
Ryan, I almost wish that I could manage to only read one book at a time! I guess my attention span is lacking, but I have a tough time reading only one book at a time. For the most part reading multiple books is cool, but deep down I know that I'd probably get more out a book if I read just one at a time. Like you were saying Ryan, I think the momentum and flow would work better. But for better or worse, I just can't seem to only read one book at a time! lol!
Charlene wrote: "Bill, I just reserved The Road at the library. I didn't want to spend 13.00 bucks on a book that came out in 2006 that everyone says is depressing. I hope I have better luck with it than you had w..."
I wasn't smart enough to appreciate the alleged brilliance of Blood Meridian so I kind of hated it but The Road and No Country For Old Men are both Fantabulous.
The Road came in at the library! Thanks for sharing your opinion of it, 11811.I will usually read one novel and one short story collection at a time. I use the shorts as a palate cleanser in between the novels, so it usually takes me forever to get through an anthology.
I hope you enjoy The Road, Charlene. Maybe I should give that one a try. I have not given up on Cormac, just like 11811 I must have been too dense for Blood Meridian. (Not implying you are dense 11811 : ))
Bill wrote: "I hope you enjoy The Road, Charlene. Maybe I should give that one a try. I have not given up on Cormac, just like 11811 I must have been too dense for Blood Meridian. (Not implying you are dense 11..."I think he wrote that book specifically to make me feel dense. So mean spirited and I barely know the guy.
Readers' block, that's perfect way to describe it. I've had it for a few years now. I found my perfect book, The Shadow of the Wind, and now very little I read can keep my interest. I find myself reading a lot about reading (i.e., GoodReads, Book Riot, other book sites) than actually reading.
This happens to me so often that I get disappointed with myself. I usually just drop the book and move on. I have done this with about 5 of the last ones I picked up including Cell, You Come When I Call You, They Thirst and a few others.
I've dropped Cell and You Come in the past. Sorry you didn't finish They Thirst.
I can go an entire month without reading then read 6 in two days. I can usually tell when the dry spell is coming on because even books I loved before I can't stand. I'm like a bibliophile bulimic, hinging then purging.
Something usually keeps me reading. I might get tired of fiction and go to nonfiction, get tired of that and go to comic books, get tired of that and go to... well, chess puzzles probably don't count.I hear you all about getting stuck in the middle of a big novel and then feeling guilty about starting anything new. So a 1000 page book not only takes up the reading time of 3-4 novels, it also prevents you from reading when you pause to catch your breath.
I had this problem for about two years and it was pretty hard on me because I love to read books so much. I suffer from depression and a couple of other problems and reading was a good coping skill for me. Then because of my illnesses I would read a paragraph out of a book and not remember what I had just read and I would read it over and over again to no avail. I just couldn't concentrate enough to read anymore. Thankfully slowly but surely I was able to start reading again. I still am dealing with my depression and along with my other diagnoses but at least I can read again. Once in awhile I can't but if I wait a period of time I can read again. By the way Mental Illness Awareness Week is from October 7th to October 13th. Here's a link that tells a little about it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mental_I...
I am going through this right now! I have started about 10 books and gotten 20 - 30 pages in each and just am not interested. I have even gone to my old standbys without being able to shake it. I am grumpy as hell too. Its almost as if I can't get my mind relaxed.I have been working a lot lately and that may be related. But, usually I read more when I am working than on days off. I have worked all but 3 days of the last 21 and part of that was out of town. Three more to go, including today (sitting at the desk right now) and then 9 off!!!!
Hope I shake this soon!
I am in the middle of the worst readers' block I have ever had! Too many things going on to get my head into anything. I have started and put down a dozen books. I have fought to complete the nine books that I have read so far this year and I have taken the easy way out on those...opting for YA books. I really have no idea what to do to get out of this one! I have already hit my old standbys to no avail! Frustrated and mentally muddled all at once! BLAH!
Horror Aficionados
Books mentioned in this topic
Little Deaths (other topics)The Cannibal Within (other topics)
The Haunted Vagina (other topics)
The Drowning Girl (other topics)
The Shadow of the Wind (other topics)
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Once for almost a month.