I’ve loved reading and writing as long as I can remember. For a while I wanted to write a novel, but I never had the resolve of to pull it off (that will have to change when it’s dissertation time). The last few years I’ve been more interested in nonfiction of the short essay variety.

I love reading because I love reading. I know a lot of people who like to read, but few who actually like reading. Most people read novels because they give more detail and more story than a movie or TV show is capable of. They read nonfiction because it gives an amount of information and a depth of insight into some event, person, or subject—perhaps even the author—that we couldn’t get otherwise. Some find it relaxing, others like to use their imaginations. I just like reading.

Reading is an experience in itself for me. I enjoy a well crafted sentence and an ingenious turn of phrase. I value an author who uses the right word, the right structure, and the right voice for the context that exists and the one she hopes to create. I like a well-told but unoriginal story as much as I like an original story…more so if the original story is poorly written.

In my reviews you’ll notice that I almost always comment on the enjoyability of the reading experience. If I don’t enjoy the author’s writing I’m probably going to put the book down and not take it up again; at a certain point the content doesn’t matter anymore.

WDJ will be a place for me to share my writing, my thoughts on writing, and my commentary on other people’s writing. I hope you enjoy my work, learn how to improve your own while you’re here, and that you start to enjoy the act of reading as much as I do.