Old Moon

Monday, June 16, 2008

Critic

Lately it seems to me that I've read more than my share of good things. So many, in fact, that I wonder if trying to be a writer has clouded or in some other way changed my critical capacities. I'd hate to think I've become so woolly-minded that I can't detect those pet peeves of lifelong standing just because I'm a wannabe. No, that's not it. I still yelp aloud for every "laid" that should have been "lay," I still insist there's a difference between convince and persuade...you get the picture. I'm still annoyed by sentimentality and a sucker for sentiment without apologies.

Is there a reader out there who could help with this? What have you read lately that was so affecting (no, I don't mean "effecting") that you really want to tell the author how much you liked it? What has driven you up the wall? It would be fun to see who's reading what and how s/he feels about it.

3 comments:

Glenda Council Beall said...

Joan, I wish I had the time to read all the fiction I have on my shelves. I was once an avid novel reader. Now I read non-fiction books on the subject of writing. But I buy novels and keep them knowing that one day I will go back to enjoying escaping into the pages of a good book.

JLC said...

I think I passed that stage about 15 years ago. I still have a couple of dozen books on writing crowding my shelves, but I can't seem to give up fiction. But lately (maybe partly due to your suggestions) I've taken to essays again. One correspondent I met through Senior Women has urged me to submit to that site's founder Tam Gray. One thing certainly can lead to another that's unexpected, and bless you for being the first!

Tipper said...

I am a very avid reader mostly of fiction and in the last year of blogs. I'm amazed how many talented writers have blogs-that don't really consider themselves writers. So I'm like you-I'm constantly being enthralled with a "new" writer that I think is fabulous.