This last week I didn’t read anything. Nothing big anyway. No books, no blogs, no comics, no articles. Nothing. I did read labels and emails—as long as they didn’t seem too constructed. If they seemed conversational, I categorized them with texts and IMing and read on. I also wrote and in revising my work read my own words, that was legal. The idea is that with less input of words, I’ll free the passages and increase my output of words.
To clarify: I am not one of those Nimrods who never reads and is proud of the fact. This is just one week.
First thing I learned is that reading is my drug, and my room is my heroin den. Books are everywhere. Two piles of seventeen volumes sit on my bedside table alone. Splayed out in front of the table on the floor are nine more not counting three family histories lying there. They’re technically folders. And then there are two full bookcases and another two shelves. All full of books. All off limits.
A sample of some nightly thoughts:
Monday, Jan 26, 2009
Night is when it’s worst. I can’t sleep. TV’s not helping. Catching up on Battlestar Galactica, 30 Rock and SNL aren’t helping. Books are everywhere, glaring at me. I glare back. I write an opening scene to a screenplay I’ve been thinking about a lot. Like it. Still can’t sleep. Write notes for a Sci-fi novel I’m working on. Like that. Still not sleeping. Work on some dirty haikus. Still awake. Write in my journal (the absolute last straw), and I am still awake. Finally about 4 or 5 I drift off. Hell.
Tuesday, Jan 27, 2009
Coming home from an evening in SLC, I’m drowsy. Good sign. Really good sign. But, another bookless night means another sleepless night. A nightly read is as necessary to me, apparently as a morning cup of coffee is to some people. Ah, what a creature of habit. Interesting experiment, but I’d love to get some sleep. TV again?
Wednesday, Jan 28, 2009
Travelling all night. No sleep expected. Do a crossword instead of reading on the flight. I start getting a bit of help from the empty seat’s copy of the in-flight magazine for difficult words, but soon am using it as a reference, hoping the people across the isle aren’t watching me.
Thursday, Jan 29, 2009
Read a bit of an online comic over a friend’s shoulder. Feel kind of silly for not reading.
That kind of thing. When the readinglessness ends, I keep it up for a couple of days then finish “Stumbling on Happiness” which is a fascinating book about how the brain works to predict and ensure future happiness from past experiences. It cites many fascinating studies, and I’m glad to be reading again. I also get caught up on news stories and comics and some articles on how spam works. Interesting stuff.
Did not reading increase output? Somewhat, by not sleeping I was left with no choice but to write. It did quiet the voices inside a bit too and, surprising side effect, I’m going without the radio and singing in the car more.
4 comments:
Fascinating. I've actually been thinking about this a lot, trying to diagnose my own lack of productivity.
Maybe this is something I ought to try...
I love your writing my brother, it's so good. soothing. lovely.
tres interesting. i'm also wondering about how to increase productivity. pain, maybe.
Spencer, I just happened upon your blog via Deja, and I have to say, it's quite the treat to read your stuff. Seriously, I can relate to the no-reading thing. But it only lasts so long then I must read something. Anything. The Deseret Morning News seems to be my most frequent pal. But I'm working on expanding my horizons. It's just so blasted difficult with 3 kids in tow.
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