I’ve been reading a lot of novels lately, more than usual. Part of the reason is me staying away from social media a bit. I comment on issues when I feel I need to, and as a public school teacher, I definitely aired my grievances about Betsy DeVos for Secretary of Education. But the truth is, other than organizing protests through social media, I don’t think it’s very effective to keep posting these “Hear Me Now” statements. The people who agree with you will “like” your comments and the ones who don’t will unfriend you or mute you, so what’s the point? But it’s hard for me to keep my mouth shut sometimes, so I read.
My question is, when you read, do you hear voices in your head? Please tell me I’m not the only one! I hear voices in my head all the time anyway–of my characters–I’m not totally crazy. Yet. Right? Hearing voices is acceptable when you’re a writer (so I’ve been told). Although when I was writing the final book in my trilogy, 18 THOUGHTS, I did actually lose the argument to my main character, Olga. That was a whole new level of insanity 😉
But I was thinking about this month’s question: how has my experience as a writer changed me as a reader? For sure, it’s helped me appreciate every story a bit more. I know the blood, sweat, and tears that goes into making a book, and what little royalties you get out of it in the end. But one thing that hasn’t changed is the way I hear different voices for the various characters as I’m reading . . . that’s been going on for as long as I can remember.
How about you–what’s your reading experience like? Read any great books lately? So far this year I’ve read:
Smash & Grab by Amy C. Parker
The Devil You Know by Trish Doller
The Surrendered by Case Maynard
Because of the Sun by Jenny Torres Sanchez
Flamecaster by Cinda Williams Chima
The Night We Said Yes by Lauren Gibaldi
To be honest, I’d give all of these books 5 stars! They were wonderful!! Check them out if you’re looking to hear some new voices in your head 🙂
This has been a post for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group, the brainchild of Head Ninja, Alex J. Cavanaugh. Feel free to join us the first Wednesday of every month! Purpose: To share and encourage.
Jamie Ayres 
Sorry I don’t hear voices in my head, but I think it’s great you do. It brings the characters back to life. I so want to read Flamecaster. Hoping to get if from the library soon. I just read The Woman in Cabin 10 and am in the middle of The Widow. Both are good.
I do appreciate the effort that goes into a book now, even the bad ones.
Some things, I’ve found it better to just avoid. Everything is so polarizing right now.
Yep, lots of voices in my head. Sometimes there’s narration of my day, or daydreams. Sometimes I wish they would all hush! Best book I’ve read this year: The Indifferent Stars Above. It’s nonfiction, which is a bit odd for me because I love, love, love fiction, and it’s about the Donner party. Terrifying, horrifying, amazing, and I snarfed it all down in two days.
I don’t hear voices so much, but I often get a very clear visual of the characters in my head (for both reading and writing). Sometimes this is caused by less physical description, rather than more. That’s why I find it jarring if I see a film of a book and the characters are nothing like how I pictured them!
Oh yeah I hear all of my characters’ voices, so my head can become really noisy. 😀
Yep, the voices are there and they’re bossy too.
In situation beyond my control, I have learned to let them go and let God deal with them. I’ve got my Senators and Congressmans emails on my contact list and I give them my opinion often, but when a vote is out of my control, I lean back on my faith and relax.
I hear my characters’ voices. But voices? Not sure. Doubts speak sometimes until I chase them away. To be honest, I see most images. I’m a little weird.