My life runs on semesters. As a student, the semester schedule meant little. There was little in the way of routine. Each Fall would bring a different set of classes and requirements for success. So while some things were routine, by and large each new semester had it's own challenges and time requirements. However, as a teacher my semester schedule is fairly constant. My class loads haven't changed at all while I've been at CSI. Fall semester is six PSYC 101 classes and a PSYC 201. The times are the same. Even the classrooms stay the same. You would think, therefore, that I would be able to predict my workload for each semester.
I'm not.
As indicated by my earlier blog posts I had high hopes for getting a lot of writing done in the last five months of the year. However, as the semester started last week I find my time severely limited. I couldn't even find the time to edit my last blog post in a timely manner. It took the Labor Day holiday to find the time to edit that blog post and start this one. Now I'm editing this one on the day I'm supposed to be writing a new one. Sheesh.
But is it really a lack of time or am I just not spending my time well? Obviously (like the question of nature vs. nurture) the answer is both. I don't have enough time and I'm not spending my time well. I've been trying to analyze where I'm spending my time poorly in order to increase my productivity and get my writing back on schedule. I have come to a conclusion about one of the places I'm not spending my time well.
Librarians be warned: you might not like this part.
I read too much. Honestly, too much of anything can be bad for you, even reading. When my writing and other important goals suffer because of my reading it is time to ease back. I know several of my coworkers are jealous of the amount of books I read (and movies I watch). Generally I leisure read for at least an hour every day. Some days it can be 3-4. Weekends can sometimes reach more than 6. However, given how full my life is with other things (and potentially getting busier--stay tuned for future blogs) that might be too much. I might need to limit it to 30 minutes each day or less.
It can't be eliminated completely. A great writer needs to read. Books can inspire. Sometimes I pick up a book and the way the plot develops makes me want to rush to the nearest keyboard and begin typing. An authors use of words can make me start writing my own prose in my head as I try to adopt a similar voice. Writers need to be readers. The question is what is the perfect reading to writing ratio? Obviously, that's personal but it is still important.
Secondly, I have this deep desperation in my soul: I can't read everything. No matter how much time I have there will always be books that go unread, series I will not be introduced to, authors I won't have time to enjoy. Even if I cut back on reading time that list only grows. So what do I read? My to-read list is extensive. I don't limit myself much on genres. I read science fiction AND fantasy. Mystery. Classics. Non-fiction (especially focusing on psychology). Kids books. How-to. Anything that was adapted into a novel. So which books are worth spending my time on and which books am I just wasting my time on?
Yes! Some books are a waste of my time, but which? One of my current goals is to read all the Star Wars novels. This is a series of books that I largely consider fluff fiction. It used to be a small percentage of my reading selection, but because of this goal it has been almost 100% of my reading selection. Part of me has to wonder if I should abandon this goal. However, I'm over 100 books into the effort. Do I give up now? If I stay on track am I just committing the sunk-cost fallacy?
What about rereading old favorites? There are few books I'll read twice. Strunk and White's little book is the notable exception. I read it yearly. Mostly I reread books when the sequels come out and I need a refresher on what happened. However, every time I reread one book, that means another book I could have read doesn't get read. Do I have time for that with all the good books out there to read? The other day I was fondly remembering The Death Gate Cycle by Hickman and Weis. I'm considering rereading it, but that is seven books that I won't read because I chose to reread the cycle.
At times it feels like deciding to read a book or not is like being in "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade". I'm surrounded by grails (books). Some are jeweled, some are plain. Some are wood, some aren't. I can only pick one. Watching over my shoulder is a knight. Sometimes, halfway through the book he gives me a satisfied smile and I hear his voice echo in my head "You have chosen...wisely." Other times I'm just a few pages in and he's telling me I've chosen poorly. I hate when that happens. What do I do?
I can't do much except accept the inevitable. No, I won't read everything. It's impossible to keep up. The best I can do is read books I'm truly interested in. Don't waste time on books I'm not. This inevitably collides with my Star Wars goal. Currently I'm reading one of the books and it suuuuuucks! Do I waste time on it for the goals sake? Unfortunately, yes, but I'm cheating. Instead of reading it I'm skimming it. It will take me a fraction of the time and I can then move on to more desirable books.
Other books of note: I never picked up "The Davinci Code" and probably never will, mostly because I'm not interested. Same for the Twilight Series. I might eventually get to the Hunger Games series, but probably not. It's not that they're not good books (though what a good book is can be highly debated), it's just that I don't care.
My wife would swear that part of my taste in books is a strong distaste for trendy books. She wouldn't be wrong. A book being popular is never a reason to read it. It seems so many people read things because "everyone" is reading it. If you don't read it, you risk being left clueless while the rest of the world talks about it. Do I read the popular books? Sometimes, but only if the story interests me. Most popular books don't.
A not so guilty confession: I judge books by their cover. How else are you going to pick a book out from the local library?
I also take recommendations from people who know me well. So...any recommendations for things worth spending my limited reading time on?
As a librarian, I totally understand that there are too many books and not enough time, so picking and choosing wisely is key (loved your Indiana Jones comparison). I'm just happy that you're reading. I know too many people who are just as busy, and they decide that reading is not important. I find that I often have to re-read previous books in series too, as I have a crap memory, so now I just wait until all the books are out in the series, then read them all at once. Good luck with your reading!
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