Friday, September 17, 2010

Wait. Should I really be reading this?

Tip of the day: If leggings did not look good on your short and stocky legs 25 years ago, they probably will not look good now. Yes, I am speaking from experience.

I've been reading some REALLY good books lately.

First of all, I read THE BOOK THIEF shortly after it first came out, but I recently decided I wanted to listen to it in audio form, so I got the set from the library. Wow, what an experience it is, listening to that book being read out loud. 

I finished some Advanced Review Copies of some great books - MY FAKE BOYFRIEND IS BETTER THAN YOURS by our own Kristina Springer; THE MOCKINGBIRDS by Daisy Whitney; and LOSING FAITH by Denise Jaden.

I'm currently about two-thirds of the way through CLOCKWORK ANGEL by Cassandra Clare. Holy crap, that girl can write!!!

So this morning, when I sat down to start in on a brand new project, I had a really hard time! All of these great books made me feel so inferior. Like - I will NEVER be able to write as good as these people, what am I doing even trying?

The first couple of hours were rough. Eventually, I found my way and stopped thinking about all of the wonderful words THEY had written and was finally able to focus on my own.

I think reading good books is important. I learn a lot from well written books. But at certain times, they actually hurt me more than they help me, if that makes sense. 

Anyone have a crappy book to recommend after I finish CLOCKWORK ANGEL? I need something to make me feel a little better.

~Lisa, Miss Crafting a Career

8 comments:

Rachel Harris said...

You are so funny! You are one of the most talented writers out there. I so couldn't write in verse . . . and totally didn't think I would even like a book written that way, but you proved me wrong! Have a wonderful weekend and know that you ROCK

Lisa Schroeder said...

Thanks Rachel, for your kind words!!

Hope you have a good weekend as well. :)

Carmella Van Vleet said...

Humph. Just the other day I was thinking about how I'll never be as good a writer as YOU! :-p

By the way, your tip of the day made me snort.

Lisa Schroeder said...

Thanks Car. And you ARE a good writer.

I think we all have those periods of self-doubt, which was sort of my point, in a round-about way. :)

Denise Jaden said...

Denise Jaden, the author of Losing Faith here, and can I just say I CANNOT BELIEVE someone is saying this about MY book, since I have thought it so, so, so many times while reading other people's wonderful books. "Ugh, I'll never be able to write like that. Why do I even bother?"

So thank you for including me in the post! For about five seconds I felt like, "I have arrived!" LOL.

Kristina Springer said...

Fine Lisa, I'll stop wearing the leggings. Sheesh!

lol!! Loved your tip of the day!!

And thanks for mentioning my book!! :-) So sweet.

And regarding bad books, OMG, there was this one ebook floating around awhile back. Man, I wish I could find it. The first page was so so so bad that it would brighten any day. :-)

You know you're a great writer though!!

DeenaML said...

OK, what about leggings with lace at the ankle? Can I wear those? :)

If you want the name of the worst YA novel I read (or read 30 pages of), email me. Sad that it was pubbed by a publisher I respect as well, lol! I mean TERRIBLE!

Kate Fall said...

Oh, Lisa, just keep reminding yourself that you're reading like version 20 of someone's story, not the first draft or two. I find that helps.

Then go find a seven-year-old boy to read to, or pull out some of the stuff your boys loved when they were seven. It's making my brain melt. Also, I can't stop thinking about how to come up with a plot involving baseball playing dinosaurs with hoverboards. (You can't use that; it's mine.)