Sometimes after having read a book, I find it difficult to start the next one. For some reason it just doesn't seem to grab me the way it should. I've even tried starting six different books in a row and having to put them all aside.
The longer it takes for me to find a book that I really want to read the more frustrated I become. Therefore I've been forced to devise a way of changing this, and what I came up with is that I have to cleanse my literary palate. This may sound like a weird concept, but bear with me.
The most import part of the process is that it's not possible to cleanse the palate with a work of fiction. If I have reached the point where I'm stuck, a novel won't help. Non-fiction is therefore the way to go. The language and purpose of non-fiction books is so different from fiction, that it provides just the kind of diversion that will reset the brain and make you ready for another novel.
Then comes choosing the subject. It seems obvious that the focus of the book should be something that really interests you. Don't pick a book on fly fishing if you hate nature and quiet moments of solitude. You'll never get through the book and it will only end up aggravating you even more. Personally I've found that books on literature, film or music really help me out.
The longer it takes for me to find a book that I really want to read the more frustrated I become. Therefore I've been forced to devise a way of changing this, and what I came up with is that I have to cleanse my literary palate. This may sound like a weird concept, but bear with me.
The most import part of the process is that it's not possible to cleanse the palate with a work of fiction. If I have reached the point where I'm stuck, a novel won't help. Non-fiction is therefore the way to go. The language and purpose of non-fiction books is so different from fiction, that it provides just the kind of diversion that will reset the brain and make you ready for another novel.
Then comes choosing the subject. It seems obvious that the focus of the book should be something that really interests you. Don't pick a book on fly fishing if you hate nature and quiet moments of solitude. You'll never get through the book and it will only end up aggravating you even more. Personally I've found that books on literature, film or music really help me out.
Take your time. It will not do any good to rush through the non-fiction to get back to the fiction. Enjoy it! Notice how your brain opens up again, and the stumbling block is removed. The process is actually quite fascinating, and I have often found that I'm ready for fiction again after only 30-40 pages. Don't stop here, though, you run the risk of having to start the process all over again.
When you're done cleansing choose your first novel wisely. Don't let the first book be something that's stopped you in your tracks many times before. Go with something that you are fairly certain you will like. If you've tried reading James Joyce's Ulysses a million times don't make the mistake of thinking that this is the perfect time for giving it another shot. Save something like Ulysses or In Search of Lost Time for a period where you feel like you’re on a roll with your fiction reading, and are hungry for more.
Finally it is important to have a nice large selection of non-fiction books to choose from. You never know when you might need another one. The next blog will focus on some great works of non-fiction.
