Do you read your own books?

VydorScope · 09-17-2011, 06:56 AM

I am working through a series right now, and currently writing book 3... so maybe this changes things, but from time to time I go back and re-read book 1 and 2 of what I wrote to keep my mind fresh on what has happened and last night as I was starting a new pass on book 1 I began to wonder... is it odd to read your own books? Does anyone else do it?

So... do you? Do you enjoy reading your own stuff or is it to well known/predictable to you?

mr ploppy · 09-17-2011, 09:07 AM

I can't see how you could write a sequel without reading the earlier ones. The hardest part (for me at least) would be resisting the urge to change things now that you know what the characters do in the future.

apbschmitz · 09-17-2011, 10:57 AM

Tough luck if you're writing a series. I don't see how you can avoid rereading, if only for the correct spelling of the characters' names.

I had a first novel published back in the 80s and have scrupulously avoided rereading it. My kids tell me it's alright, but I have some trouble believing that. Maybe in another 20 years I'll give it a go.

OneandonlyDoc · 09-17-2011, 11:16 AM

I don't think it's strange to re-read your own work. Like Ploppy said, if you're writing sequels, you have to constantly remind yourself what happened previously anyhow.

There's no shame in it. Sometimes, you might even enjoy it (and other times, you cringe). It's natural.

MPElliot · 09-17-2011, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr ploppy

I can't see how you could write a sequel without reading the earlier ones. The hardest part (for me at least) would be resisting the urge to change things now that you know what the characters do in the future.

I agree. I don't see anything wrong with going back. I do it too. I even keep a list of notes handy to jot down events that have happened in recent books. Makes it a lot easier at times then having to find that certain page.

Strayer · 09-17-2011, 01:41 PM

You have to to keep the sense of the books. It's easy to forget.
It also helps to keep the characters true to themselves.

EileenG · 09-18-2011, 04:21 PM

I reread, but every time, I'm torn between "Why did I write this crap?" and "Wow, I didn't realise I was such a good writer." I can't just read to enjoy it.

Steven Lyle Jordan · 09-18-2011, 05:18 PM

I reread to keep the past facts straight... though the need depends on the series, ie, I had to reread Verdant Skies before I wrote Verdant Pioneers, but it wasn't that necessary with the Kestral books.

James_Wilde · 09-18-2011, 05:35 PM

I read mine from time to time. It gives me a sense of satisfaction that somebody is reading it and enjoying it.

<sigh>

mr ploppy · 09-19-2011, 05:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by James_Wilde

I read mine from time to time. It gives me a sense of satisfaction that somebody is reading it and enjoying it.

<sigh>

Maybe we should start a fight with a reviewer, that seems to bring in new readers.

OneandonlyDoc · 09-19-2011, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr ploppy

Maybe we should start a fight with a reviewer, that seems to bring in new readers.

Or throw in just a few lines of really bad punctuation so we have a reason to start fights with reviewers...

Nancy Fulda · 09-23-2011, 04:35 PM

If I don't enjoy reading my own prose, it's an indication that I'm writing shallow stories.

Quick page-turners that keep you in suspense about how things will turn out are all well and good, but my goal is to write the kind of story you can come back to over and over and still find something new.

Thinking over my portfolio, for an audience of me, it seems that I'm successful about half of the time:

Blue Ink -- enjoy the characters, but don't like to read it because I don't like the sad ending.

Dead Men Don't Cry -- get bored; I know who dunnit.

Backlash -- can't open the document without getting sucked in and reading at least three pages.

Movement -- will open the document on purpose just to read the beautiful opening lines. Will often read through to the end, all the while feeling ashamed at being so in love with my own prose.

Hexes and Tooth Decay -- fun to read about once per year.

Tammi's Garden -- embarassing to read. Did I really understand so little about plot advancement?

In the Halls of the Sky-Palace -- get sucked in.

The Half-Life of Chocolate -- we're not talking about that one.

(The list goes on, but you get the idea.)

VydorScope · 09-23-2011, 09:18 PM

Well I just finished a re-read of book one in my series and found a dangling plot line that I forget I ment to address in book 2... I guess I will work it into book three now!

morriss003 · 11-06-2011, 04:36 PM

Of course, I reread my books! They are the finest writing available (well maybe Tolkien, Heinlein, and Jayne Ann Krentz have written stuff a little better). I'm sure that people on Tunisia, Egypt and Libya must have been reading my tomes and that is why the Arab Spring broke out. There must be censors in China desperate to avoid my stuff from being translated.

It amazes me that so many people don't understand the value of my work. (Okay, maybe I could use a class on punctuation.)

Some of the best reasons for rereading my books is to update my vision and my thinking, and to see where I could have made the story more interesting and the writing better.

Todd Young · 11-06-2011, 07:08 PM

I like rereading my books. I've written quite a few (some under different pseudonyms) and I actually find it enjoyable to read them again. Sure, there are places where you think, why did I do that? But there are plenty of things I forget about also, and if it's been a few years since I wrote it, well, I really enjoy it.

09-17-2011, 06:56 AM	#1
VydorScope Wizard Posts: 3,418 Karma: 35207650 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: iPad	Do you read your own books? I am working through a series right now, and currently writing book 3... so maybe this changes things, but from time to time I go back and re-read book 1 and 2 of what I wrote to keep my mind fresh on what has happened and last night as I was starting a new pass on book 1 I began to wonder... is it odd to read your own books? Does anyone else do it? So... do you? Do you enjoy reading your own stuff or is it to well known/predictable to you?

11-06-2011, 04:36 PM	#14
morriss003 Evangelist Posts: 438 Karma: 3409790 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Maui Device: kindle	Thanks for the laugh Of course, I reread my books! They are the finest writing available (well maybe Tolkien, Heinlein, and Jayne Ann Krentz have written stuff a little better). I'm sure that people on Tunisia, Egypt and Libya must have been reading my tomes and that is why the Arab Spring broke out. There must be censors in China desperate to avoid my stuff from being translated. It amazes me that so many people don't understand the value of my work. (Okay, maybe I could use a class on punctuation.) Some of the best reasons for rereading my books is to update my vision and my thinking, and to see where I could have made the story more interesting and the writing better.

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09-17-2011, 09:07 AM	#2
mr ploppy Feral Underclass Posts: 3,622 Karma: 26821535 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Yorkshire, tha noz Device: 2nd hand paperback	I can't see how you could write a sequel without reading the earlier ones. The hardest part (for me at least) would be resisting the urge to change things now that you know what the characters do in the future.

09-17-2011, 10:57 AM	#3
apbschmitz Lord of Frogtown Posts: 149 Karma: 1154748 Join Date: May 2011 Location: St. Paul MN Device: Kindle	Tough luck if you're writing a series. I don't see how you can avoid rereading, if only for the correct spelling of the characters' names. I had a first novel published back in the 80s and have scrupulously avoided rereading it. My kids tell me it's alright, but I have some trouble believing that. Maybe in another 20 years I'll give it a go.

09-17-2011, 11:16 AM	#4
OneandonlyDoc Fearless Writer Posts: 210 Karma: 375317 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: In a mitten! Device: Kobo Wifi	I don't think it's strange to re-read your own work. Like Ploppy said, if you're writing sequels, you have to constantly remind yourself what happened previously anyhow. There's no shame in it. Sometimes, you might even enjoy it (and other times, you cringe). It's natural.

09-17-2011, 01:41 PM	#6
Strayer Member Posts: 20 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2011 Device: none	You have to to keep the sense of the books. It's easy to forget. It also helps to keep the characters true to themselves.

09-18-2011, 04:21 PM	#7
EileenG Zealot Posts: 146 Karma: 7462052 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Dublin Device: My phone	I reread, but every time, I'm torn between "Why did I write this crap?" and "Wow, I didn't realise I was such a good writer." I can't just read to enjoy it.

09-18-2011, 05:18 PM	#8
Steven Lyle Jordan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,478 Karma: 5171130 Join Date: Jan 2006 Device: none	I reread to keep the past facts straight... though the need depends on the series, ie, I had to reread Verdant Skies before I wrote Verdant Pioneers, but it wasn't that necessary with the Kestral books.

09-18-2011, 05:35 PM	#9
James_Wilde Guru Posts: 802 Karma: 4727110 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Sweden Device: Iriver Story	I read mine from time to time. It gives me a sense of satisfaction that somebody is reading it and enjoying it. <sigh>

09-23-2011, 04:35 PM	#12
Nancy Fulda I write stories. Posts: 700 Karma: 16437432 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Northern Germany Device: kindle	If I don't enjoy reading my own prose, it's an indication that I'm writing shallow stories. Quick page-turners that keep you in suspense about how things will turn out are all well and good, but my goal is to write the kind of story you can come back to over and over and still find something new. Thinking over my portfolio, for an audience of me, it seems that I'm successful about half of the time: Blue Ink -- enjoy the characters, but don't like to read it because I don't like the sad ending. Dead Men Don't Cry -- get bored; I know who dunnit. Backlash -- can't open the document without getting sucked in and reading at least three pages. Movement -- will open the document on purpose just to read the beautiful opening lines. Will often read through to the end, all the while feeling ashamed at being so in love with my own prose. Hexes and Tooth Decay -- fun to read about once per year. Tammi's Garden -- embarassing to read. Did I really understand so little about plot advancement? In the Halls of the Sky-Palace -- get sucked in. The Half-Life of Chocolate -- we're not talking about that one. (The list goes on, but you get the idea.)

09-23-2011, 09:18 PM	#13
VydorScope Wizard Posts: 3,418 Karma: 35207650 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: iPad	Well I just finished a re-read of book one in my series and found a dangling plot line that I forget I ment to address in book 2... I guess I will work it into book three now!

11-06-2011, 07:08 PM	#15
Todd Young Addict Posts: 243 Karma: 1004164 Join Date: May 2011 Device: Kindle 2	I like rereading my books. I've written quite a few (some under different pseudonyms) and I actually find it enjoyable to read them again. Sure, there are places where you think, why did I do that? But there are plenty of things I forget about also, and if it's been a few years since I wrote it, well, I really enjoy it.

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