Part of the problem with writing books is that it sometimes takes all the pleasure out of reading them. And I don’t mean that in a snide way, just that when I do manage to snag a little extra time to read for fun, I find myself going over everything with a more critical eye. This is probably because I’ve been forced to reevaluate so much of my own writing, as well as doing crits for other writers or judging contest entries. It’s hard to turn off that jaded little voice that now inherently starts pointing out flaws (perceived or otherwise), wherever they may be. Too many -ly words. Strange metaphors. Using the same word too many times too close to each other. WTF heroes and TSTL heroines. All these little pet peeves start adding up and adding up until it’s hard to really just *enjoy* a story for what… Read more