I have no amazing insights this morning because it started too early. *yawn* Unless it’s, “Inspiration comes in a mug”. Caffeine, don’t try parenthood without it.

Actually I do find a lot of inspiration outside of a mug. I find a lot of it in books. I went on a book download binge last night and today I have that “new books to read” glow. My buys: From Samhain, With Nine You Get Vanyr which I have been waiting for and then didn’t buy the week of release because I was busy or something, and Project: Man because Alexis Fleming is so freaking funny. From Ellora’s Cave, Interstellar Sparks from the so-entertaining Shannon Stacey and Faer Fetched, a Quickie in Christine Warren’s Fixed series.

Reading is like training wheels for writing in so many ways. It puts the brain in the right place. Sometimes I deliberately study a book to see how X thing was done, sometimes I study it to see why it didn’t work for me, sometimes I just enjoy it. The pure enjoyment factor is just as good for the brain as study because it puts the brain into that relaxed state that’s so condusive to writing. Play and relaxation are vital to work. I’ve done some mental playing around and playing on paper this week and it’s good to do that stuff.

I hear so often the refrain, “I don’t have time to read” or “I don’t enjoy reading anymore” or “I don’t read while I’m writing a book” from writers. I realized some time ago that if I don’t read while I’m writing a book I’ll never read again because I’m ALWAYS writing a book. There is a point in a project when I tend not to read anything new, though I’ll re-read. But sometimes I think picking up a story somebody else wrote is the only thing that gets me through the current project. Reading, it’s good for writers. Especially when it’s just to relax.