Bucky’s Transformation
We’ve had our share of critter sightings since we purchased our desert retreat – bobcats, javelina, rattlesnakes, roadrunners, gila monsters and more – but one animal has continually evaded us and our trail cameras. Until recently.
During a quad ride around the property on May 25, I spotted this little buck and his mama. Notice his tiny antler stubs, which I happened to miss completely at first glance. Click to enlarge.
Over the past nine years, I’d gotten only a single glimpse of mule deer on our property – a half dozen making their way through the wash one morning. But my how things have changed … On June 6, I was surprised to see the duo again – closer to our house – feeding on paloverde seedpods. “Bucky” and his mama, it appears, are frequent visitors these days.
June 6. When the deer moved closer to the house, I was amazed to see how much Bucky’s antlers had grown since that initial encounter. Click to enlarge.
June 6. The pair meandered over to the rock wall next. Isn’t it amazing how camouflaged they are? Click to enlarge.
The irony was not lost on me that a beautiful creature was transforming right before my eyes – as I was searching to pair the appropriate desert-life metaphor with a writing/reading topic I’ve been wanting to discuss: a reader’s personal growth.
Bucky’s dusky visit on June 18 reveals additional antler growth. Look at the transformation from the first photo to this one (and that streamlined, elongated face)!
At about the time Bucky began making regular appearances, I read a guest post by author Maryanne O’Hara at Great New Books. In it she said:
“The older I get, the more I ask of books. There are simply too many of them and often, what some people are raving about doesn’t quite work for me. I look for first pages that introduce complicated characters or a situation that make me curious and reflective. I look for prose that sings.”
(She went on to name a book that had done all those things for her). At the time of reading her words, I’d already been contemplating my own growth as a reader and very much related to Maryanne’s comments*. Where once I was cognizant only of story, I am now enthralled by language and symbolism and characterization and dialogue… I seem to ask so much more of what I read these days. I wonder: is it a product of age? Or is it something else?
My writing partner, Shelby, had her own thoughts: “I think you have arrived at ‘reading like a writer,'” she said. “Unfortunately, there’s no way to go back to reading with blithe naivety, knowing that there’s something off or wrong with a book but not being able to pinpoint what it is, and most importantly, being able to overlook or forgive a multitude of sins because you kind of like the story or characters. Prepare yourself for a lifetime of being Judgey McJudgerston.”
For Readers: What do you think? Do our reading tastes naturally transform over time – the same way Bucky’s antlers are morphing into something bigger, more formidable? Does age have anything to do with it (i.e. would you pick up a book you loved in your 20s and still love it today)? OR do we simply like what we like to read? Do we also seek certain kinds of books for comfort? Is it important to try on new genres, mix things up?
For Writers: Have you transformed from for-the-fun-of-reading reader to writer-reader? Have your reading tastes changed as a result? Do you expect more? Notice more? What are the advantages of reading like a writer to your craft? If you’re interested, these fabulous articles about reading like a writer by Jen Bailey – part 1, part 2, part 3 – can help you hone your skills even more (thanks, Shelby, for pointing them out).
June 20. I swear, in a few short days, those antlers have grown! Click to enlarge.
*I can’t wait to read Maryanne’s novel, CASCADE, which is patiently waiting on my shelf. Thanks Maryanne and Great New Books.
June 24th, 2013 at 3:53 am
No question I now read like a writer and even have found myself editing sentences or stories in my head… wondering how I might have written the same thing. That said, my reading habits have changed only in that they have become more and more eclectic and widespread. I seem to read more different genres than I used to and be open to more types of writing — for me it really is read what I like to read. Yet, I am definitely Judgey McJudgerston, too.
p.s. Bucky and mom area amazing but I’m a little sad that they weren’t there when I was!
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Melissa Reply:
June 24th, 2013 at 10:07 am
Oh yes… the dreaded “editing while reading” syndrome! I continue to be envious at your voracious appetite for ALL books. I’m slowly expanding my horizons.
I’m sad, too, that you missed the mule deer family while you were visiting! I added another photo from a June 20 visit that I’d forgotten. See below!
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June 24th, 2013 at 8:36 am
As a non-fiction columnist for three magazines, I, too, read like a writer — editing as I go.
I’m currently reading, “Whiter than Snow,” by Sandra Dallas. Her beautifully painted word pictures captured me from the get-go…reeling me in hook, line, and sinker!
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Melissa Reply:
June 24th, 2013 at 10:08 am
I’ve heard so many great things about Sandra Dallas’s novels. I can’t wait to hear your final verdict — though with the description “beautifully painted word pictures,” I’m pretty sure I know the way this story will end.
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June 24th, 2013 at 9:49 am
Yup, I absolutely agree with the reading like a writer bit. Once I learned about story structure, for example, it’s become almost impossible to feel surprised by “twists” that are properly written. Thank goodness, though, that I can still “turn off” that part of my brain and read things for fun. It’s all about expectations for me. If I read something I’ve been told is amazing by someone I trust, I want all of those things you said. But if I want a fast easy read just for fun, I don’t mind forgiving sins if the characters are loveable and plot is fast, etc. I hope that doesn’t go away; right now I feel like I have the best of both worlds!
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Melissa Reply:
June 26th, 2013 at 9:50 am
I want that “OFF” button, myself! But I think you’re right: it’s about managing expectations before you even sit down to read. Good point. I’m going to try to work on that and read for pure entertainment on a few upcoming books.
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June 24th, 2013 at 11:06 am
Isn’t Maryanne O’Hara tremendous!? I loved Cascade. It brought everything that I look for in a novel: wonderful setting, complicated characters, genuine dialogue. Sigh. Love the pictures of your mule deer as well!
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Melissa Reply:
June 26th, 2013 at 9:51 am
I haven’t read Maryanne’s book yet, but she sent such a lovely note along with it in the mail. I simply cannot wait to dig in. Of course, there’s ANOTHER book I’m eager to read…ah hem!
I bet you guys get lots of deer in your backyard, too!
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June 24th, 2013 at 11:16 am
Bucky is absolutely breathtaking! What a cutie but also what a stunning creature.
I think I used to read more like a writer a few years ago, but lately I’ve tried to let myself read more for pleasure, and read widely. It’s not easy, though! There are some books that are just so perfect in every way, that I can’t help but read like a writer, admiring the craftsmanship at every turn of the page. But I still enjoy my guilty pleasure reads, which I no longer feel guilty about reading. And even when I do read like a writer, I think there’s so much we can learn from books of all genres, and books that we do and don’t enjoy. Maybe one book doesn’t grab me at a prose level but the ensemble cast is incredibly well-developed, and another book doesn’t grab me at all, so I end up learning things to avoid and look out for in my own writing. It’s hard for us to step out of our own perspective–we’re writers, day in and day out, and we can’t pretend not to be even when we’re reading–but once in a while a book so good comes along that it makes you forget even that.
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Melissa Reply:
June 26th, 2013 at 9:54 am
Yes, I have a bit of a crush on little Bucky Boy.
I seek out those books that, as you say, leave you “admiring the craftsmanship at every turn of the page.” But you’re right that sometimes it’s perfectly fine to indulge in something lighter. Also true: we can learn from EVERY book we lay our eyes on and that books are deemed “good” for a multitude of reasons — not just one.
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June 24th, 2013 at 12:03 pm
Your friend is so right — it feels judge-y but there’s just no going back for me. I’m a bit more understanding now that I know first-hand how hard it is to write a whole novel (before, when I first became a McJudgerton, I’d only written short stories). But it’s still harder for me to find books I truly like; I no longer just sail along for the ride. At first, this highly annoyed me. But it really makes finding a great book all the better.
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Melissa Reply:
June 26th, 2013 at 9:59 am
Amen on the “how hard it is to write a whole novel”! I wish I could sail along for the ride, but like you, I find it difficult to do. But you are SO right that it makes those can’t-put-down books all the more savory.
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June 24th, 2013 at 6:09 pm
Jen’s posts on reading like a writer are interesting, Melissa, thanks for pointing to them. I was unfamiliar with her blog.
I am both much harder to please as a reader, and much more appreciative when pleased, than I used to be years ago. I like how Jen breaks down listening for our internal response to what we are reading, then stopping to examine the why and how of it. Good stuff! For a lot of years my enjoyment of reading felt like it was destroyed, in a way, because I felt I could ‘see’ the wizard behind the curtain. Then I realized I just needed to be reading better novels, writing that impressed me. That brought the old feeling of magic flooding back.
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Melissa Reply:
June 26th, 2013 at 10:00 am
You’re welcome. I loved Jen’s posts on reading like a writer!
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June 24th, 2013 at 9:34 pm
That mule deer is amazing! How neat to see before your eyes. I do find myself a more critical reader as I’ve become more of a writer. But I think my taste in books have remained the same over the years.
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June 25th, 2013 at 4:37 pm
Love this post, and the photos are fantastic.
Yes … I read like a writer (and sometimes even like an editor) and it’s maddening! LOL
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Melissa Reply:
June 26th, 2013 at 10:01 am
I find that, when I’m in editing mode on my own work, I cannot escape it with what I’m reading (and it drives me batty!)
So glad the book tour went well. Enjoy your ‘down time’!
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June 26th, 2013 at 10:04 am
I’ve found that I read differently now that I’ve spent so much time writing, but I also watch films and plays differently, too. For me it’s all about the story. I like different styles of writing, so a novel doesn’t have to be “literary” for me to enjoy it. But it does have to be well-crafted and the story has to make sense. Even when I hate the author’s choices (like a recent book I read that I loved until the last few pages) I can appreciate the work if everything fits.
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Melissa Reply:
June 26th, 2013 at 10:08 am
Oooh… there’s nothing more disappointing than loving a book only to find you despise the ending! And, yes … it’s a bit of a let-down if the story just doesn’t make any sense ;-).
Hope you and Lola are staying cool.
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June 26th, 2013 at 4:54 pm
OH THIS POST! I was thinking of blogging on a similar issue, why we choose certain books at certain times. It relates so closely to this – love it!! I think I generally read like a writer/editor, but once a good story has left the station, I’m usually on board if the writer did her job well.
I heart Bucky!! Those pics are amazing and I love that he’s giving you the adolescent “What?” look in most of them.
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Melissa Reply:
June 27th, 2013 at 7:10 pm
I love the topic of your blog: why we choose certain books at certain times. Though I always seem to choose the same kind – the kind that makes me cry. What’s WITH me??? 😉
All aboard for those GREAT stories! (Yes, I have a crush on Bucky).
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June 27th, 2013 at 9:35 am
Such a great topic. I have had a really hard time NOT reading like a writer. In the years that I was writing novels I of course read like a writer. I wish I could go back to enjoying fiction. It’s hard for me to fall in love with novels these days. I start many and put many down. I’ve had an easier time with non-fiction!
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Melissa Reply:
June 27th, 2013 at 7:13 pm
Oh, that makes me sad … that it’s hard for you to fall in love with novels these days. Glad, though, you’re enjoying non-fiction. That’s something that I rarely read – probably because I do so much non-fiction research for freelance projects!
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June 28th, 2013 at 1:08 pm
What a great conversation–and those photos. Love them.
Back when Bel Canto came out, a friend and I were talking about it. She is not even close to being a writer, but she is a good reader. I said one of my favorite parts was in the beginning, when one of the characters thought, “He knew that opera was not for everyone, but for everyone he hoped there was something.”
A week or so later, her lame book club was reading it, and complaining about it, and she pointed out that part, saying, “let’s try to read and notice this sort of thing.” And it was revelatory for them. I liked hearing that.
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