Tuesday Toolbox - Read!

Okay, this sounds obvious, but if you want to write books that you intend for others to read, YOU should read a lot too. I see time and again, though, that people who used to be voracious readers suddenly haven't read a book in months once they become writers. Part of the reason is simply time. You have to set your priorities. Read or write?

Well, to be good--no, great--writers, we need to read to know the market, to analyze how other authors master plot, character, pacing and many other writing techniques.

I'm as guilty as anyone else of not reading as much as I once did. I'll probably never again consistently read seven to ten full length novels a week. However, I can certainly manage a book or two a month. To hold myself accountable, I've decided to enter the Reading Romance Challenge 2013.

I won't post long, detailed reviews, and if I didn't like a book I read during the course of this challenge, I won't mention it or the author by name. As an author myself, I've made the personal decision never to publicly say anything less than complimentary about another author or their work. I am not a reviewer. I am an author, a reader, and a lover of romance novels.

To the right are the suggested categories of romance to read each month for this challenge. I'll do my best to follow it and report back each month. More importantly, I'll be reading, keeping my finger on the pulse of the market and remembering why I chose to begin writing in the first place.