Do people really hate reading?

I recently read about a Facebook page called 'I Hate Reading'. My initial thought was 'Seriously?'. This seems such a strange topic to go to the effort of setting up a fan page for. I mean, if you apparently hate reading, then just don't read. End of discussion. But it seems that the creator may have hit a nerve as to date it currently has 517,522 'likes'.

With regards to this page, there have been comments to the effect that it's not 'I hate reading' but 'I hate Reading' - as in the town in Berkshire. It's not a place I know particularly so I can't comment on that. But even disregarding the whole Facebook thing, there probably isn't one among us who hasn't heard someone say that 'reading is boring' or that they do in fact hate reading.

That gets me to thinking. Do they really and truly 'hate' reading? The dictionary definition of hate is an 'intense or passionate dislike'. And if this really is how they feel about the thought of having to sit down with a book, then why? Where did this anti-passion for books come from?

I think school probably gets some of the blame. Dissecting a novel into the minutiae of who did what to whom and why can test the love of a book for even the most ardent reader. Take away any present passion for books and it is easy for the scale to tip.

Even if that Facebook page does indeed refer to the town, it's unclear and as a result I'm sure some people have 'liked' it thinking that it does refer to books. I highly doubt anyone that did so is reading this blog, purely because of its subject, but it would be interesting to know if any of them do read other blogs, and does that count as reading? I mean, you have to read Facebook status and walls, don't you?

However, on the very off chance that one does,or you know someone who really does apparently detest the thought of reading a book, I'd ask them to try again. If you haven't read since school and your last ingrained memory of reading was a painful dissection of a classic, then make a fresh start. Find a book whose story you think sounds interesting, get comfy with a nice cup of tea (or something stronger if that's your preference but not if it's going to make you nod off!), switch off the telly and just try the whole experience again - this time at your own pace, just enjoying the story. Escape into another world and hopefully the memories of 'hating reading' will be replaced by a love for it instead.

But I don't feel like writing!

There are definitely days when you just don't feel like writing. Today is one of those days. I think it's mostly  a combination of a fuggy head thanks to my Fibromyalgia and a busy day yesterday which again, the fibro objects to but I just haven't been able to sit down and write. Except not doing it was making me feel bad. I wanted to do it! I felt guilty at not doing it! I really did want to write something.

So I pulled up the novel, and have just spent part of the afternoon adding words to that. I say 'adding words' because I'm not sure that when I look at it again that it will be any good. But I can fix that. I can edit words that are on the page. I can't edit what isn't there.

My brain is still fuddled, my dry eye is still sore and annoying the heck out of me, but at least I've writen at least 1000 words today and that's pretty good on a day I didn't feel like writing.

You have to love reading

If you write, then you have to love reading. There's no getting around it. If you write fiction, then you need to read fiction, and if you write non-fiction then you're likely going to have to look up and read some stuff!

Of course, for the most part, that's not an issue. It's a natural thing for us to want to devour as many books as possible and it's likely that, if you're anything like me, the To Be Read pile doesn't seem to get any smaller, no matter how much we read.

Finding the time to read is one issue that many of us struggle with. It's so easy to get swept along in the daily trundle of life, working, housework, the garden, that although you might get around to catching up on articles and news online, sometimes you look round and realise you haven't picked up a proper book in weeks!

I've now made a conscious effort to get a book off the shelf (and deciding which one can take its own share of the time - is it just me or do you have to be 'in the mood' for certain books too?) and then make another concerted effort to actually pick it up and read it. Now, whether that's in the bath, over breakfast, on the commute (if you go by train!) or in bed, it doesn't matter. All that matters is that you do it.

So grab a book, switch off the goggle box and dive in!

Nanowrimo

Apologies for the delay but I just wanted to wish everyone who is in the midst of thier Nano works the very best of luck!

I'm in the middle of several different projects (well, at least two) that I really want to get finished so after much deliberation I decided not to enter this year. I don't know what it is about November, but I always seem to have various amounts of things to do in this particular month. One day...

Anyway, I just wanted those who are embarked on the manic but amazing task that I'm cheering for you! Go Nanos!