On putting it down and picking another

Ever found yourself halfway through reading a novel, not enjoying it, yet grudgingly pushing on to the end, slumping a little as you count the remaining pages?

Perhaps it will improve if you invest more in it, you wonder. Or perhaps it’s you that needs to improve as a reader. If you just persevere, maybe you’ll uncover the nugget that shone so brightly for those who recommended it. After all, there must be some reason why it was shortlisted for that prize.

You’ve got this far, so you might as well keep going, you think, even though you struggle to remember who’s who, and you don’t care a hoot what happens to any of them next. You couldn’t really say what’s happened so far, either. The story just doesn’t grab you.

And you stomach it, but there’s something about the writing that rubs you up the wrong way.

It has a nice cover, though. So not all bad.

For heaven’s sake, just put it down and pick another. Life’s short, and there are plenty of other books out there.

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I help people sit up and sort out their career futures at 50+

So if you’re wondering whether to put down your metaphorical book …

If you want to understand what you’re looking for in the next one – before you search the shelves for it …

It’s my job to help you think that through.

Get in touch and tell me what you’re reading at the moment and how that’s working out for you.

Photo: Tomas Martinez on Unsplash