In the writing course I'm taking, I must take a month-long break between the first draft and the second. During that month, I'm supposed to read as much as I can and take notes, erasing my own book from my mind. The goal is to read so much that I forget my voice, allowing me to have fresh eyes for editing. This week, I'll be reading Brooklyn by Colm TóibÃn, an Irish author, and Strange Pilgrims by Gabriel GarcÃa Márquez.
I'm not a fast reader, and as I've mentioned before, I have never read a book faster than it was written. Reading multiple books at a time helps, but I truly think I won't have enough distraction to reset myself enough. I can't read fast and probably only finish one new book this month. It is what it is. Thankfully and tragically, this is not a graded course, so I'm not going to fail any tests but my own—editing my book with fresh eyes.
