A Short Story Every Day
I've been publishing on this website every day for the past 18 days. Now I want to add one more routine to my life: reading a short story every day. Writing every night has forced me to sift through my thoughts and figure out what really matters to my well-being. I want to build a similar routine around reading so I can spend more time with my favorite kind of art instead of getting sucked into the junk of news and social media.
There are so many things to read but never enough time. I've been hoarding books, and about half of them are short story collections. I've read maybe ten percent of them so far, and I have to admit I don't even remember what most of the stories were about.
To me, reading a short story feels like plunging into ice-cold water. I often encounter unexpected truths that shock me into seeing the world differently. Short stories can be brutally honest, perhaps because writers can express uncomfortable thoughts through fictional characters without having to claim them as their own. Because the stories are short, every word has to count, and every sentence has the power to conjure up a vivid image.
I want to keep a record of what I've read. Instead of promising myself I'll read all the great classics or recommended books, I want to set a goal that gives me a little satisfaction every day. I've made the same mistake over and over. I know that if I tell myself I'll finish a book every week, I'll never keep that promise.