Yahoo Answers is shutting down on May 4th, 2021 (Eastern Time) and beginning April 20th, 2021 (Eastern Time) the Yahoo Answers website will be in read-only mode. There will be no changes to other Yahoo properties or services, or your Yahoo account. You can find more information about the Yahoo Answers shutdown and how to download your data on this help page.

As a writer, how bad is it for me that although I like reading books, none of them keep my interest up enough for me to finish them and so?

I leave them and get back to the rarely? I grew up with movies and TV Series so it's really hard for me to feel anything intense when reading mystery or horror and such, and just curiosity isn't enough to keep my interest up...

4 Answers

Relevance
  • Anonymous
    3 years ago

    I wouldn't say it's bad. In fact, most people who might attempt to slog through something that you've written probably wouldn't bother reading all the way through to the end either. But considering that you never finish anything that you start, it would seem that wouldn't perturb you in the least. If you can't make it through a piece of writing, there are two possibilities: either that piece of writing isn't engaging enough, interesting enough, or well-written enough to merit being read, or you just don't have the attention span, patience, and love of reading required to finish a book. Now, if we were talking about a one-off, you'd be entitled to the benefit of the doubt. But you say that you never finish any book you begin. It would be preposterous to suggest that each and every book is boring and shoddily written, so there's your answer - you're not a reader - at least not a serious and dedicated one, and therefore not a writer at all.

  • You mean your inability to just admit you don't like reading books?

    Sure you feel like you should enjoy reading, but it is obvious you don't. If you did, you'd likely routinely read books that were obviously going nowhere just for the joy of the prose. I know I do. I've even read series which had no real plots just for the joy of a literary day at the beach on a grey day.

    Likely, you don't want to just admit this, so you go for half-measures, where you explain away the fact you don't enjoy reading, blaming it on television,as if everyone else in the world didn't also grow up on television and movies. You feel you should want to read, as all real authors do read.

    I suggest you resolve this by quit pretending you want to be a writer and just become the wannabee tv show writer you likely are.

  • Bye
    Lv 7
    3 years ago

    I don't think it's especially bad, although many writers probably develop their own sense of story arc and endings in part by reading other stories, so you might be missing out on some helpful exposure at least. Beyond that, it sounds like you're just very picky about what interests you, which is out of the ordinary but not bad.

  • 3 years ago

    If you choose not to finish books then don't expect anybody to finish your story. That includes readers on critique websites, literary agents, or publishers. Don't even expect yourself to finish writing the story. Reading is a part of learning how to write. You don't have to be an avid reader, even six books a year can help one improve.

    You ask a lot of questions on here. It's time to decide: do you enjoy writing or are you daydreaming of fame and riches? Most writers don't finish a story because the idea of writing is much more pleasant than actually writing.

Still have questions? Get your answers by asking now.