EXERCISE: What do you like?

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

Original posting 26 August 2011

Hum...

Here's an interesting question. Let me come at it a couple of different ways.

First, imagine that it's Saturday afternoon. You've had a hard week, but there's a couple of hours of quiet time ahead. What kind of book do you pick up to read? What are you looking for at that point? What kind of genre, characters, plot? What do you want out of that book?

Second, imagine that a friend said, "Hey, I've run out of stuff to read. What would you recommend I try next?" Again, what kind of book would you suggest? Note that your friend looks suspiciously like yourself in a mirror, okay?

Third, try this one. You've just gotten a book certificate to the Dream Amazon, good for one book of your choice. So you log on, hit the "Find My Perfect Book" button, and up pops... the book! What is it? Why does it fit what you like so well? What makes it your dream book?

The question, of course, is what kind of book -- genre, characters, plot, theme -- do you genuinely like? What do you want to read?

Turned inside out, this becomes what kind of book you should probably try to write. But for today, let's pause and contemplate what kind of book you really, truly, honestly like.

Go ahead. Tell us about it.