Introducing Leave It (Un) Read
Or: excellent advice that you should take, because I can't
Hi! Welcome to Leave It (Un) Read, a blog/newsletter/chronicle about books whose success makes me question humanity.
My villain origin story
I’ve always liked reading. I don’t call myself ‘a reader’, but I do like to read and liking to read is a big part of how I think about myself. I don’t have a personality, really, just the books I read between 8 and 30 loosely stapled together.
Then, five or so years ago, I hit a reading slump. I’m not sure quite sure why - job stress, life stress, the thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to - but it was really difficult to get into and complete a new work. Rereading old favourites? Absolutely. Fanfiction? Absolutely. But getting up to speed with brand new worlds and characters? My brain wouldn’t do it.
And then last year, even though the thousand natural shocks continued to shock and awe, I was reading again. No idea why, but I was. New books, old books, short books, long books. My library card was getting a workout. I suddenly had an informed opinion on award-winning titles, buzzy titles, classics that had only ever been a source of vague guilt and shame before.
It was great. I had so many new favourites.
I also had quite a few… well, they’re a sort of favourite, I guess.
I’ve always had opinions. And standards. And I genuinely believe that there should be no distinction between literary and genre fiction.
But my years-long full body immersion in fanfiction also gave me a lens on substandard published fiction.
See, the thing about fanfiction is…
It’s free
You’re reading about characters you already care about
A lot of it is dogshit, but some of it is achingly beautiful
It has extremely recognisable thumbprints
And when you start reading contemporary genre and literary fiction from 2010 onwards, you realise just how many critically-acclaimed, bestselling novelists were fanfiction authors who got way too much validation from their million-word Harry Potter smut.
And once you see it, you just can’t unsee it.
So you’re going to point out when novels started out as fanfiction?
I mean. Sometimes? But the main reason I bring up fanfiction is to underscore that I have standards for the fiction for which I fork out hard-earned cash.
Now this doesn’t make me a grump. (I mean, I am a grump, but that is a separate choice I’ve made.) I love most of the books I read. But I’m more articulate about the books I don’t.
Foster-care for haters
I’m so articulate about books I don’t like, in fact, that my friends have started hanging up on me now when I get That Look in my eye.
So you, dear reader? I could say that I’m a sort of Literary Sin-Eater, reading overhyped garbage so you can hold your own at dinner-parties without wasting your time, but the reality is that I have exhausted my other resources and I am making this your problem.
How often can I expect you to make it my problem?
I’ll shoot for once a fortnight. For longer pieces, it might be monthly. You know. Just like a period.
Where else can you find me?
I’m @leaveunreadpod on Twitter (I know, I know, I know).
