How do you choose what to read?

John Ayliff said:

That's a lot to get through, I'm not a super fast reader, and I find that writing and reading use the same kind of mental energy, so time I spend writing is time I don't spend reading and vice versa.

Does anyone else feel overwhelmed by the number of books they feel they ought to have read, or is it just me? If so, how do you deal with this? How would you prioritize the list above? Do other writers have strategies for planning what you read, or do you read whatever strikes you fancy at the moment?

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I read whatever strikes my fancy. I do try to keep up with what's current but I'm not all that good with it. No reason to sweat it though, eventually I'll get to those books.

• The classics of my genre (science fiction and fantasy), especially those that are similar to what I'm writing.
• The latest books and stories in my genre, again especially those similar to my own work.
• The classics of literature generally.
• Non-fiction on a wide range of subjects, so I'll have material to put in my work.

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Genre Classics: For this I can honestly just say only read the ones that interest you. I actually got started in Scifi by reading H.G. Wells' Time Machine, it was literally the first Science Fiction book I'd ever read and I was 8 years old when I first read it. This happens to be both a Science Fiction classic as well as considered a Steampunk classic. I've read LOTR and have a couple Asimov books I'm planning to read too.

Literature Classics: If you can make literature classics mash up with genre ones then you're golden. But really a classic is like any other book, if it doesn't interest you then don't force yourself to read it. I love reading the classic like Poe and Austen, but there are those that don't and I don't judge them for it. Well...I do when they claim all classics are boring, but no more than I judge snobs who read nothing but the classics or who refuse to read books younger than 50 years old.

Lastest Genre Work: For this I say pick 5-10 books from the last five to ten years and read them. Sure keeping up with your genre is all well and good, but if you read slow like you say and brainspace is shared with writing, then limiting how many books you read to the most interesting looking of the new(ish) stuff seems most likely to be helpful instead of just piling stuff on.

Non-Fiction: It is true that you really should read non-fiction in order to write fiction that speaks to people on a deeper level than just the surface. At least in my own mind. But this doesn't mean you need to read boring stuff. If you like history and mythology like me then you read books and articles about those things. I also enjoy science and nature, sometimes even current events. There's nothing to that says you can't tailor your non-fiction reading to the things you find interesting. For example, I'm starting to look into articles and books on swordsmithing. My brain wants to do a short story about an Gorgon swordsmith teaching their adopted human child to use the forge.

ETA: Switching completed!

So glad to see I'm not alone when I get overwhelmed by trying to choose something. My physical bookshelves are groaning from the weight, I have a huge file of ebooks that scanning through them makes my eyes cross.

Most of the time, I go by how I feel. I have several books in the process of being read, all picked out by my mood and how I felt when I picked it up. Getting through them takes a little longer because I'm flipping between them dependent on how I feel. But I do get through them.

Every so often I do happen on one that grabs me by the nose and holds on all the way through to the end. I trot along happily behind it.

The OP is correct in that it is easy to be overwhelmed--there is too much out there to read--or ever hope to.

How do I decide?

I have some go to authors, especially if there is a particular series that they're writing and I enjoy. Currently, that would be Kevin Hearne (Iron Druid Chronicles) and Steven Brust (Vlad Taltos series). But I also have some favorites that I read, depending on what the story is, such as John Ringo. I'm not interesting in everything he puts out, but overall I've enjoyed his Posleen War series.

Then I go by recommendations from a few bloggers. If they say something is of interest and it appears I'll like it, I give it a shot. Indie Book Blog, and Kevin's Corner and Book Hooked Blog.

Sometimes I come across an author or a book on a forum or random surfing, such as Hard Luck Hank: Screw the Galaxy. Sometimes I re-read books I really enjoyed (and study them to improve my writing/storytelling skills) such as those by Roger Zelazny.

Finally, there are a few friends who have similar reading tastes and their recommendations go a long way.

But, in the end, I have to manage my time...busy with 1 full time and 3 part time jobs (including writing)--and a family. Some of this reading desire is filled with audiobooks. I can listen while driving or doing mundane tasks. It's not exactly the same experience as reading, but close and I enjoy listening to novels.

It's taken me a long time to get over that feeling but I think I can comfortably say I don't feel particularly pressured to read anything, in or out of my main genre. Part of it is because try as I might, I just can't get through some of the books 'everyone' says I as a fantasy author should read. On top of that some of my favorite books and authors are obscure or not especially popular, so clearly my personal fantasy canon doesn't match up with the mainstream. That's fine; imo it just means I'll have a different perspective to write from.

I pick books to read based on whatever criteria I feel like using at that particular moment in time, really. Right now I'm not even reading fantasy but thrillers, because my current WIP is one and I'm exploring the specific and fairly obscure subgenre it's in.

I do try to be more mindful of mixing things up as far as genre and subject these days, though. There was a time when I read fantasy almost exclusively. It's not a bad thing per se, but I do get bored of it eventually, and sometimes I'm just not in the mood.

Author (I read all of a certain author's stuff, no matter what it is), recommendations (my sister and I have similar taste in books and so we swap back and forth a lot) and whatever looks interesting at the bookstore/Amazon. I've also taken to keeping an eye out for people on here, now, and searching out their books.

“How do you choose what to read?”

Marry an opinionated wife. Admittedly, that may not be a solution that works for everyone. My gravest concern has always been potentially reading/being TOO influenced by the previous literary efforts of others. What I shall tell you is that inspiration is where you find it. As an example, you may gaze out your window to witness a praying mantis, perched on your hummingbird feeder to capture and kill said bird. If that's NOT a likely scene outside your window, I'm convinced that a random youtube vid can fix that.

Your dreams and nightmares can serve as a great resource as well. Oh sure, those blenderized specters may be the mad ravings of your internal muse, but your keen mind is there to sift through the wreckage to fashion something poignant.

Music is another go to I'd recommend. Somewhat more controlled than dreams and nightmares, but capable of providing similar chunks of inspiration to expand upon.

I'm reading historical at the moment (Philipa Gregory) because it's akin to fantasy in it's setting without all the problems of the usual fantasy suspects. It's also interesting for me to see what other kinds of writing styles suit that era.

John Ayliff said:

I'm not a super fast reader, and I find that writing and reading use the same kind of mental energy, so time I spend writing is time I don't spend reading and vice versa.

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Not about how to pare down a massive reading list or what to read, but as far as finding additional time to read - try audiobooks.
Do you have a long boring commute by car? Listen to a book!
Working out in the gym? listen to a book!
Taking the dog for long walks every day? Listen to a book!

I read pretty fast, and get through a lot of hard-copy books. However, a while ago, I started listening to books during time I wouldn't be 'doing' anything. Since then, I've found I'm getting through almost twice as many books, without feeling like I'm spending all day reading.

Although that does introduce the problem that you may love the author/book but hate the reader....

Neverwhere said:

Why read the classics of your genre or books similar to your own? The classics are likely to be written in a style that's now hopelessly out of date. LOTRs is a good example. It's still a good story true, but I doubt the writing style of the early 19th C is going to help you much in 2014. Also do you really want to end up with Tolkien's or Herbert's or Azimov's material at the forefront of your mind before you sit down to write? I like my present writing to be unaffected by the acknowledged tomes of my genre if at all possible so I don't write a copy of it.

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Yes. I would prefer those writers at the forefront of my mind because those writers knew how to tell stories, and they weren't bound by many of the nonsensical ideals forced on people today that is touted as "mainstream" but can best be equated to dime store novels during the period mentioned.

I love to read. Two things have gotten in my way, though. One I have taken the writing-bull by the horns and have learned many things about the craft I didn't know back when I was reading anything in the grenres I enjoyed. Some of those books never caught my fancy, and now I know why.

The other thing is ... I haven't found any decent stories penned recently that I enjoy. Many writers are trying to get on the YA bandwagon (the ultimate in dime store novels) and are hammering certain areas of it to death. Vampires, werewolves, the chosen, young bad-ass girls, deus-ex-magicians and urban settings.

Not that any of those are insurmountable, but most (read that practically all) of those writers have atrocious writing skills. Nobody told them (or more likely they didn't listen) to the things good writers do, and the things they avoid. Notice I didn't say "don't do".

So their settings are sparse because they've been brow beat to avoid descriptions. Their prose is terse because they've been brow beat to cut unnecessary words. Their openings sound more like query letters because they've been told to get everything up front so as not to bore the reader. Their stories are predictable because they've been brow beat to cut everything not associated with the plot.

The end result is right there before our eyes. Bad novels. I don't like reading bad novels. I have no patience for the modern idea of catering to the stereotyped reader who is intelligent enough to use their imagination to fill in details, and who is afflicted with ADHD and will drop a book simply because it's not moving moving moving (and what does that have to do with the plot?)

So, I've scanned the bookstores many times. The last book I tried failed my Page 99 test, but I was so starved for something new I got it (The Mists of Avalon) anyway. Big mistake. I haven't read any of the other "most popular" stories either because ... same thing. They failed the Page 99 test. That includes Hunger Games and everthing by Martin.

Currently I've abandoned the bookstores, broke down and bought a Kindle. Now I'm going through stories I haven't ever seen because, well, the publishers didn't pick them up. I haven't found anything but more of what I've already mentioned, but I haven't seen more than a small fraction of what's available. I'll keep looking.

One thing I have noticed so far ... my story is not at all like any of these others. It's not an original genre, but I have certainly taken it on an uncharted course. I'm hoping it's not too unique for an agent

I'm currently in a "collect and read the classics" phase for SF/F. Brand new house has a brand new set of shelves in a reading room, so it seemed like the time to start filling them with worthwhile books to display. A quick check of "classic science fiction and fantasy" later, I have alist of about 20 books to find in hardcover to collect.

Skimming the shelves at the local big-box-book store is another story (no pun intended). I'll typically take down two or three that interest me into my smartphone and do some research before committing. More times than not, I wait for a series to get going and commit afterwards. Tchaikovsky's series Shadows of the Apt was a great entry and largely continued the great style throughout; GRRM I started reading after book 4 was out, certainly no complaints there!

I read a lot in my genres, but I also try to read about nonfiction topics. I use the nonfiction information to build better worlds and better, more believable characters. Often this kind of reading is in the form of textbooks or biography.

I've never felt much pressure to read classics. If they appeal to me, then I'll read them, but I'm not going to make myself read a book that doesn't hold my attention. If the back of the book or the first chapter interests me I'll give it a chance. The real test is if it can hold my attention after I have to put it down and rescue one of my kids from killing themselves. I have a mountain of books on my nightstand right now that I've read about three chapters into and haven't had any interest in picking back up again. I actually get the most joy and insight from re-reading my favorites. I'm currently re-reading Harry Potter for probably the hundredth time.

If I'm honest, I just look for books set against a backdrop I think might be engaging, along with the promise of life-threatening danger. Some topics are basically insta-reads, and others... not so much ;P

I have a lot of books on my backlist that I want to read, but I don't feel overwhelmed by it. I just go about my reading at a leisurely pace as I always have because feeling rushed does me no benefit. Right now I'm reading the classics while also some historical non-fiction. I'll always be reading historical non-fiction, however, eventually I'll move past the classics and into contemporary works. How I'll pick out all those books being published annually is through word of mouth and the blurb (while also reading a few of the opening pages). If one of those things is positive, then I'll buy the book.

For me though, writing a book is more mentally demanding than reading one.

I actually read out of my genre a lot. I find whenever i'm writing and reading the same genre at the same time i'm caught up in their story instead of my own?

Not to mention going outside my comfort zone with books gives me a lot of new ideas on writing.