I’ve been doing too much, or trying to do too much. Contrary, Hunger Mountain, Catching Days, writing group, writing, family, life, read… Wait a minute. I haven’t been reading all that much. I used to read every evening–from after supper until sleep. And on the weekends.
Recently, though, to keep up with everything, I’ve given my evenings over to emails and editing, with a slim 15 or 30 minutes before I conk out for reading. And my weekends over to writing.
Note to self-this has got to stop.
I wanted to write because I loved to read. The books I want to read are piling up at a stressful rate. I’m not happy with this state of affairs, now readily apparent by the lone books filling the months of March and February on my reading list.
It makes me sad that I must remind myself to find time to read.
How is your reading life? When do you read?
Just read a wonderful novel which I reviewed for New Pages. It’s called The Edge of Maybe by Erika Lutz. The review will be out May 1st. She’d be a great addition to your Catching Days feature. Her interviews are quite interesting. Now reading an advance copy of a British novel which is a spin on Wharton’s The Age of Innocence. I’m reading novels, as many novels as I can, in the bathtub, one hour, in bed, one hour…8:30-10:30. No if, ands, or buts! It helps to give up TV.
Jodi, two hours of reading a day sounds like heaven. Will check out The Edge of Maybe. I love the title.
I have read a lot recently, but I have problem finding time to write – its always difficult to find the perfect balance between the two.
I’m trying to tackle the “writing-problem” by going away for a week, all by myself, just to write. Hoping that putting myself in this new situations will keep worries & distractions at a distance for a little while …
Sigrun, you have been reading a lot recently! I’m jealous. Yes, balance is always tricky. And I read somewhere, overrated. Still, I know what you mean. Hopefully your writing retreat will work to even things out a bit.
Like you, I read every night before I conk out. What’s changed is how long it takes me to finish a book. While writing and during the last round of edits on my memoir collaboration, my eyes were just too shot to focus for more than a half hour. But I sent in the FINAL draft yesterday, so I plan to catch up on my reading.
Congratulations! I can’t wait to add your book to the top of my stack. And when I’m working so hard on writing or edits, reading often doesn’t seem like a break. Then I resort to something else I love–movies. Or lately, I’ve been enjoying watching The Good Wife : )
Thanks, Cynthia. I’ve been watching Mad Men and Game of Thrones with hubby. It’s nice to sit and be entertained. I’ll check out The Good Wife, too. If I keep this up, it will take me as long to read Wild as it took Cheryl Strayed to hike the PCT.
LOL!
Reading Wild too, and loving it!!!
Loving it, too. Happy trails.
If it isn’t writing where I lapse, it is my reading; both situations are frustrating and balance elusive. Your blog post and the comments therein have given me new resolve. Thanks to all.
Karen
So glad to hear the post helped you too, Karen. It helped me to write about it. And now I’m going to settle on the couch with my book : )