I spend so much time writing that I never read anymore. The last time I read for pleasure was back in September when I returned to Australia for a few months. I borrowed five books out from the library and only finished one of them. I didn’t care for the others.
Whenever I read now it is to do with either work or for furthering my creative writing. I have a book on my kindle that I bought months ago and still haven’t finished.
It’s a good thing that I read a lot in the past because it compensates for me now. I used to read Goosebumps in 2-3 hours. I read The Passage by Cronin in a single 9-hour marathon. I went through a YA novel a day. But now I only read internet articles, Facebook posts and things relating to the news.
And then there is my writing. They are the only stories I’m reading at the moment. Once the joy of the first few drafts is gone, then it’s all about the work. I look for errors, inconsistencies, problems. Over and over again until I start to burn out on one and move onto another as a means to continue my skillset.
I’ve lost the habit of reading because I need to spend all my time writing.
Stephanie Haggarty 