It’s been forever since I’ve written anything here, and I’d love to say I’d taken all of that time and dedicated it to writing my story. Unfortunately, I have this thing against lying… so I won’t say that at all.

I’ve spent some of my time writing, much of it doing random stuff I like to think of as living, and the last bit that isn’t wasted on frippery, reading. I’ve noticed when I read the best authors (I could list a bunch here, but I would certainly miss some of the best and I couldn’t be forgiven from that) my writing improves. It flows easier, my ideas come faster and harder, and I love my story just a little bit more. When I read books that are good but not the most fantastic writing, I just want to read more, and my writing suffers.

This has a lot to do with consumption, I think. Let’s look at eating for a moment. You eat a fantastic meal. It smells good, looks good, has all sorts of wonderful variety, and then it even tastes wonderful. You may eat a little bit more than you would at a regular meal, but when you are done you feel satisfied and you go forward with your life. Contrast that with your favorite treat. It looks good, tastes good, and all that, but when you’re done you either want way too much more or you feel sick. Reading is the same way. I may read a little bit more than I “should” with the good authors, but I feel content when I finish. When I read the junk food authors, I either want more or feel sick.

On a quick side note… the junk food authors aren’t bad, and their stories can be wonderful, and I certainly enjoy them. But the point is, they’re junk food and should be taken sparingly. You need that wheat, those tomatoes, the milk, and the beef (or your protein of choice) to get you through the day. The ice cream isn’t a necessity. (Well… maybe the ice cream…)