Who was your favorite teacher at school? Or, if you are still at school, who is your favorite teacher now?

My favorite teacher was a Mr. Hickling (probably long deceased by now). He was my English teacher while I was in 8th grade (13 years old). When I would look at my school schedule for the week, I would always eagerly look forward to his lessons.
So, why was Mr. Hickling my favorite teacher? For 90% of his lessons, all he did was read books to us or sometimes play audio books. So after the mental effort of math, or science or history, it was a welcome relief not to take any notes on a lesson or to take a quiz, but just to sit back, relax and listen to the likes of such authors as Charles Dickens, Shakespeare and Graham Greene.
Some might have thought that this was a waste of time, that Mr. Hickling was encouraging us to be lazy; and that instead of reading to us, he should have been making us learn the intricacies of English grammar; learning how to parse a sentence and so forth. Well, we did have enough lessons on grammar, writing, punctuation etc. It was just that he read books to us during the majority of his lessons! We did not complain!
Mr. Hickling was an experienced teacher, approaching retirement age when he took our class, so he must have had a good reason for doing what he did. And one day he told us what that “good reason” was!
Our teacher said that 80% of what we would learn throughout our lives, we would teach ourselves. A large part of this would be from what we read. So he considered it one of his greatest responsibilities as a teacher to keep our interest alive in books. And, in addition, to expand our interest in books by reading novels and other books that we might not usually consider reading.
That was true! Most kids my age, if we did read anything outside of our schoolwork, might choose to read something like science fiction or suspense fiction. Though he read those kinds of books to us, he did not limit himself or us to what were the popular books of the day, but included many other literature genres too!
What was our reaction? It is true that we may not have previously heard of some of the books he read to us, let alone have chosen to read them for ourselves. Yet, as we listened to such classic works of English literature as “Oliver Twist” or “Brighton Rock” and also lesser-known works, we began to develop an appreciation for, at least, some of them. True to Mr. Hickling’s purpose in reading to us, he was keeping our interest alive in books and broadening our horizons by exposing us to a wide variety of authors and books.
Did that interest last? I cannot speak for my classmates, but, if they are anything like me, then it has! One of my favorite pleasures is to look for something to read online. This is so easy to do because of the wealth of online fiction and other online books so readily available to all of us! And the good news is that at the same time, I am also learning many things from what I read! Mr. Hickling would have been pleased with me, I am sure!
Seeing young children and teenagers glued to their phones or tablets, texting or playing games is an all too common sight these days. I know that times have changed from when I was their age, but I do hope that someone in their life shows them the beauty of reading and learning from books. There is a whole world of fun out there that they are missing out on!

How to Read your Favorite Books

Which do you prefer paper books or electronic literature? Many people today are finding it easier and easier to download their latest novel to read rather than having a paper copy. So what do you think?
For many it is very convenient to quickly download or read a novel online. With a few quick clicks we can easily be doing our online reading. Libraries and book stores are starting to see the benefits of offering e-book options; as more and more of us own electronic devices. The advantages to this is that we generally always have our tablet or smart phone with us. This makes opening our novel so much easier. With the download option we can freely read our novel without worrying about an internet signal. Also, we can easily have two or three books on our device. When we go on a holiday it is nice to have our novels on our device rather than packing two or three books to take along with us.
What if we like reading at night? With the electronic version we have a built-in light so we can read with ease. Most devices have the option to minimize the brightness so our eyes can adjust to the darkness. With the paper option we would need a reading light. Paper is wonderful to hold in our hands and in my opinion it is easier on the eyes.  Another benefit to paper is that we don't have to worry about charging our books. We do need to worry about proper lighting as it can strain our eyes if we read when it becomes too dark. Researchers are now telling us that reading paper copies is easier on our eyes in the long run.
The cost is considerably cheaper to read online. No paper means the cost to make an online novel is almost nothing.  If you read online without downloading the book, it really is the most environmentally friendly option too.  Yet any good reader will have books that we want to read again and again. It is nice to have an original copy of that type of book. Many would agree that there is nothing better than the feel of paper in your hands as you read. Reading a novel in print can also give us a sense as to where we are in the book.   When you read online it is hard to gauge whether you are at the middle or near the end.  Sometimes the end can sneak up on you.
If we are living in a country that doesn't speak your native language, finding reading material can be a challenge. Being able to read online solves this problem. We are able to download in our own language and access our favourite authors quite quickly. Or if we live in a cramped space we may not have room to store paper copies of all the books we wish we could.  So reading novels online may be the most practical option for those reasons also.
Really it is up to each reader to decide what they prefer. There are many scientific studies stating the advantages of reading from paper copies and plenty more fighting for the rights of the E-Book.  Download or read online?  Whatever we prefer the important thing is to keep reading; as this is one of the best ways to keep our minds active and open it to new worlds.

Popular Novels

If you enjoy reading, there is nothing worse than starting a novel and thinking right away "this is not good", but you want to give it the benefit of the doubt so you keep reading.  Now you are in the middle of the book and feel you have gone this far and maybe it will get better. Now you are at the end and feel like you just wasted hours on a very poorly written novel.
So can we say that all literature is the same? Of course not. So what makes a novel popular? When we find an author that we really enjoy we will want to read their other books. This makes them popular to us personally. We may realize though that you enjoyed one of their novels but the others are not as enjoyable or you may not like the plot.
We also have the help of famous people creating book clubs or lists of novels they would recommend. You may take the time and read a couple from their list or suggestions. If you agree with their choices then you may decide that they have the same interests as you and from that point you think they are good choices and you will continue to read their novel suggestions.
We may trust a newspaper's choices or critiques of novels. This can be helpful if they introduce us to a new author as they are given samples to read and review. This process can help us find new novels to read and hopefully enjoy. And again we may then be introduced to an up and coming author and we will look forward to their new works of literature.
If we are involved in a book club with friends this too can introduce us to new genres of novels. These can be classic literature, current popular authors or a novel that is all the buzz. You could join a romance novel book club or a mystery novel book club - the possibilities are endless.  When we read a book with a club the point is to come together and discuss it. From this situation we can find that even though a novel is popular doesn't mean everyone will feel the same way. This process can help you identify what genres you enjoy reading too.
With these different avenues available to help you select what novel to read, it will hopefully help you see that what may be popular to some doesn't necessarily mean you will like it. That is why there are so many genres available - so we can find one we enjoy and look in that category and see what is popular and open up another path of novels.  Maybe you don't like erotic novels, but you enjoy historical fiction and you like romance.  What about historical romance novels?  Once you start doing research into the genre you like, you will find there are so many branches of each one that it is nearly impossible to be a fan of all of them.
Literature is so diverse, and maybe that is what makes us keep coming back for more.  Will it stop me from finding books that I hope will be good and they still disappoint me?  No.  But that won't stop me from starting another one.

Reading Options

Why should I buy a Kindle?  Maybe you have asked yourself this question - e-readers are becoming big business and they are not new.  Some have been around for years and maybe you think that if you have not bought one yet, then you really don't need one.
I like reading my novels in paper, I understand the hesitance to spend money on another electronic gizmo that just makes the reading process seem less real.  Paper is good, and holding a book is what reading is all about.  I like reading novels and holding the paperback book feels right.  I set it down on my desk and it's comforting to see it there, reminding me to come back and read.
Oops, that's the problem with conventional literature - it's on my desk at home.  Now I'm sitting in line at the clinic or riding the bus to work and my book just sits there.  Is an e-reader going to be any better for me?  I don't think so.  I travel light in my daily commute and don't have space for another device.  I already have my tablet and my phone with me.  I don't want to carry a third device that needs to be charged.
Online reading is the answer I think.  I have data on my phone, maybe I can find a website to read a thriller while I wait for the train.  Doctor's office making me wait for 35 minutes?  no problem, a romance novel is readily available.  Literature has changed so much in the past 20 years, and I have resisted it as much as anyone I know.  But here is a nearly perfect solution to my problem of not having anything to read.  I can read online.  Why didn't this become a thing before?  Maybe data coverage wasn't good enough so people had to download their books.  I always have data, and if I want to read on a bigger screen then I can tether my tablet to my phone's data and read on it.
Where can I find online novels so that I can read on the go?  There are solutions out there, and many of them feature tons of genres and features like bookmarks and books posted one chapter at a time - so that I get a reminder to come back and read the net chapter of that mystery novel I can't wait to finish.
Some people will never give up the paper book.  I understand where you are coming from, if I am reading a deep historical fiction novel or a murder mystery novel then maybe I prefer to be in my favorite chair holding the book.  But my schedule is more chaotic, I don't have 45 minutes of reading time scheduled every night with a glass of wine.  What I do have is a normal life that sees me wasting lots of potential reading time every day.  If I can just turn on my phone and open up a book, then I am all for doing my reading online.  Online novels can be read anywhere that you have ten minutes to kill.  Read a chapter of a new book online, I think it's a very good option for people on the go.

Details - Part 2

Continuing our discussion on details let’s now consider how we can incorporate our location details into our character development.  This would apply for science fiction as much as it would for romance novels.  Any novel that readers will be interesting in reading requires detail.  Reading books is an escape for people, they want their escape to be realistic.
Consider the environment someone grew up in, this is formative in that  it can shape their lives and their personality.  Growing up in a small town could make our character very aware that all eyes are scrutinizing them, self-conscious.  Or if they grew up in the big city maybe they are more carefree, oblivious to other's judgments.  Now if we take that background and put these characters in unfamiliar surroundings we can add flare and possible drama to our novel.  And if it's a romance novel you are looking for, having two different backgrounds will add spice to the story.
Take the time to create a story board for each character.  Write details of their likes and dislikes, how they were raised, personality quirks or things in their past that shape who they are today.  All these details help your reader get to know why your character reacts the way he does.  If you want a hard-headed male character, then imagine he had a difficult childhood that left scars in his personality.  How does he deal with others as he grows up?
Also take the time to add pictures to your story board.  These pictures can be referred to throughout your novel writing process.  If they keep going to a certain cafe or park, refer to the pictures so that you can add certain details without making mistakes.  You can re-use a setting and the reader will become comfortable with it.  This helps the reader see clearly where you are taking them.
As you write, the time of day will be changing for your characters - not all the action will happen at the same hour each day.  To help scenes play out, give some details for the specific time of that exchange.  For example, writing that the sun was about to set can transition your reader from the events of the day to acknowledge it will soon be night.  This can help your reader prepare for an upcoming event that was written about earlier.  Possibly the characters would be attending an event in the evening and so stating the sun is setting will help your readers prepare for the event to happen.
With the details on your story board think about the climate your characters will be in.  Will they endure a harsh winter? Will the heat from the sun be comforting or are they working in it?  From there we can begin to think again about our character and his background - how does that affect the characters mood?  Think about the details needed to walk in deep snow, the exertion of each step, the deep breathing in of cold air.
All these details can portray our characters traits.  Think about how they were influenced by these details.  Write these down on your character story board.  These details are important for development of character.  They will add interest to your reader.
Literature is hard work, you can't just sit down and write the way you talk.  Good novels require planning, research, and thought.  But at the end of it, you might just have a story worth reading!

Details - Part 1

When Writing a novel, details is what helps our writing go from bland to captivating.  A good story is in the details.  Let’s consider some important ways we can add details to our novel that will help hold our audience's interest.  Consider the possibility of someone looking for online novels and they have hundreds to choose from.  Maybe the books are free, can you imagine them wanting to read online a novel without any details?
If we are wanting to write about a location we have never been to, we may feel blocked from the beginning.  So what can be done?  Take some time to search on the internet or through encyclopedias or travel books.  These resources will give you a clear picture of the surroundings.  What the buildings or architecture is like.  The landscape can be deciphered which helps if you want to put the story in a certain climate; maybe your romance novel needs winter cold to help it stay cool, or some smoldering heat!  Taking the time to look at this research will help in writing clear details to describe what the rooms are like, what the buildings are like, what the streets look like, and how the city feels.  These details help put the reader in those rooms, streets or countryside.
Realistic details will require doing some research.  It may be best to stick to what you know, base your first novel in your town, or one just like it.  But what if the location is not the problem?  If we are writing in a certain era it is important to know specifics.  What was the transportation like? What did the women wear for clothing? What about the men?  Furnishings in the houses, or in the shops?  Once we gather all these details we can write concise sentences - and accurate ones also.
Now let's discuss the description of these details; for instance to say they drove up in a blue car could be better written if we described it with more details.  If we are writing a novel set in the 1960s we can say they drove up in an Oldsmobile baby blue white top convertible.  The chrome rims added pop to the white walled tires.  If we were writing about a farmer then we need to consider would they be driving such a fancy car or would a farm truck be more suitable?  They drove up in a midnight blue side-step short-box GMC pickup.  Taking the time to do clear research will provide the reader with a clear picture to your novel.  Did they have GMC pickups the year you are writing about?  Was blue an available color choice?  If you are not sure, you had better look it up.
Think about the places your characters will be going to.  Will they be inside a cafe? What does it look like inside?  Would there be smells of coffee or baked goods?  How did it feel when they sat down in the large sofa facing the window?  Maybe your romance novel have the characters going out of town, what will their accommodations be?  If it is a B&B do you want it to be kitschy? Or will it be surprisingly modern without the doilies and cluttered ornaments.  If they meet for breakfast at the establishment will there be a porch they could go out to? If so, what does it look like outside? With our previous research of the landscape we will be able to write about the trees in the area, birds we may hear, animals that may pass, and whether or not the sun would be shining.
The clearer the picture we can paint with our words, the more enjoyable the experience will be for our readers.  This is what makes it literature, not just someone writing.  So remember to always do your research and get the feeling of the surroundings you want to write about.  Even if you don’t use every detail you found it will help you write a well rounded novel.

Writing a Mystery Novel

Who done it?  Mystery novels are one of the most enjoyable reads for lovers of fiction.  Writing an intriguing mystery is crucial for capturing readers of this genre and we don’t want to disappoint our readers.  Let’s narrow down some pointers on writing a great mystery.
First you will need to think of a problem that starts off your book.  Do a little reading beforehand in newspapers or old news editions.  Research is good too.  If you are writing about murder it is good to know some details - I think murder mystery writers are likely a morbid bunch.  If you have a contact in the medical field, that would be beneficial.  Or someone on the police force could also give you some tips.  Ask yourself questions and think like a detective. If your mystery is about murder ask yourself where were they killed, how, what time of day was it.  Good writing is in the details.  Not all mystery novels have to include murder of course.  Whichever one you decide to pursue, good literature requires that you understand the problem as well as anyone else could - you will be an expert.
The second thing you will need is a good character.  Before you start writing think about who the main character is. Their personality, any quirks that make them enjoyable, or are they serious.  A description of their looks will help give a mental picture.  Writing a strong main character will help the novel take focus.  Your readers will become invested and want to keep reading to see what will happen to them.  Remember the main character is the one solving our mystery, so a well written main character will drive your story.  Readers of fiction forget that the character is not real if he or she is written well.
Then it would be good to think about minor characters also.  These characters can be helpful or problematic for our main character; but for our plot they are critical, we can't provide a good story without them.  Writing interesting minor characters will aid in rounding out our main character's traits.  How does the main character deal with problems presented by others?  When they are helped, what is their reaction?  Each character should have a purpose for being in your novel so that it is believable.
Now is a good time to plan your strategy - the story!  We have our problem and a main character; now how are they going to solve the problem.  The reader is along for the ride, and they solve the mystery too so we have to leave clues.  Some will be small and others big and some are there to mislead.  So we need a mystery, will it be a crime or something unusual that is hard to explain.  Think about what the main character discovers.  Be careful not to give too much information to the reader - let them discover this story as it unfolds.
It is important to have your solution written down before you start to write.  This keeps your clues in order and flowing.  For the main character to get to the solution try marking clues backwards.  So have your solution; then write clues from that point going back to the beginning where the problem started.  With a list of clues some will be minor to add intrigue but one should be crucial to the story.  Then write down who is blocking the clues and who is helping to solve the problem.
The clues are important for the reader.  It helps them to try and solve the mystery.  Keep them interesting and suspenseful so our readers is invested to find out the solution.
These pointers will give you a good start to writing a great mystery novel.

Where to Start?

It seems like when we sit down to write, the common misconception is that writers have this mental block that prevents them from starting. Maybe it’s the TV show about a Romance author who sits in front of a blank page in her typewriter, or the movie about a mystery author who has a title on the screen and a blinking cursor.
Is this accurate? In today’s modern age of “googling” things I don’t think writers are really hurting for ideas to get started. There are literally thousands of ideas just a click away for any genre. Do you want to write a thriller? Type in the search engine for “ideas for thriller fiction” and take your pick. Writers do not need ideas to get started, that’s the easy part.
Writing is more than just a place to have an idea. A good story of fiction needs depth and characters that are believable and a compelling story that makes the reader want to find out more. Can we start with action and grab the reader from the first chapter? Sure you can, but in chapter two you had better explain carefully why the reader should keep going to chapter three. One chapter or action does not make a story – not in a novel. The reason we read novels is to be transported to another time and place and to become involved in a life and time that is not our own.
So whether you do it at the first chapter, or wait until after some action, you will have to develop a character that intrigues the writer. They don’t have to like the character, in fact maybe they will hate the character – that works too! What makes you love or hate a person in real life? Developing a good character takes skill, it takes time, and it’s one of the hardest parts about writing. To start with you have the character in your mind, you can see them clearly. I say this like it’s a fact because it has to be. If you are not sure what the character looks like and acts like then how will you tell your readers?
What is their feeling about issues that will come up in the story. For example, is the main character in your romance novel a kind man who gets kicked around? Is he weak and pitiable? Or is he strong and decisive, he knows what he wants and he goes for it. We can decide these things early and then rather than describe him using words like this maybe we have to devote a chapter in the beginning of the book to his background story (or her background story of course, I love a good female lead). Don’t tell the reader he is kind and brave and quiet, that’s the kind of spoon-feeding that belongs in a children’s book. Maybe your lead character goes to work and she sits quietly at her desk for the past nine years working diligently, never late with an assignment. Her boss appreciates her and relies on her but never gives her the recognition she deserves. Still she shows up on time and works and works and works. What kind of qualities do we imply she has? Honest, diligent, reliable – makes her sound like a good person, right?
Develop characters, don’t simply tell us about them. Just like in real life, a person’s history and culture makes them who they are. Your character needs to have depth. You need to have a history for this person if the reader is going to come along for the ride.
Yes, it’s fiction – it’s not real. But the readers need to be invested in this fiction. It should seem real to them. Then it becomes great fiction and your readers will keep coming back for more.