For me, it's specifically about my published books, but I think the question could apply to anyone in a job where your work is published or broadcast to a large number of people. When I get my books after their published, and I sit down to try to read them, I'm overcome with an intense sense of squeamishness, and I can't read past the first sentence or two.
I mean, it seems really weird, because I spent months working on the book, reading and rereading my scenes, chapters, even the whole manuscript, multiple times. It's not that it's so familiar to me that I just can't read it, either. I mean, I'm the woman who hasn't stopped re-reading the Harry Potter books over and over again since the first time I read them last Thanksgiving weekend.
Is it because I'm afraid to find out it's not as good as I wanted it to be?
I don't think this is an isolated phenomenon; I've heard actors say they never watch their shows or movies.
So, has something like that happened to you?
5 comments:
I only have the one book out there and I haven't even been able to get as far as you. Not even word one on page one.
I know I HATE watching myself perform...probably because we're our own worst critic. Back a few years ago, my play production director/teacher used to make us watch our taped performances, and I always left the room. At first I thought I could just sit in the back and not watch it, but then I realized that I hated hearing myself as well (lol), and I didn't like the fact that everyone would turn to look at me during my scenes, so I would slip out into the hallway and read a book or work on my current project.
Hope that helps, haha
Jen
Well, I have to find an excerpt to post when I guest blog on Running With Quills (more about that in another post later). So I guess I'm going to have to suck it up and read until I find something I think will work. :)
I just got my books yesterday but no, do not plan to read, at least not for a few decades ;)
I look forward to the day I hold my first book in my hand. Will I read it? I doubt it, but I anticipate that I'll pet it and say, "Isn't it pretty?" numerous times.
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