Jason Jordan, On Reading

"I've adopted the 'finish what you start' adage when it comes to reading. That is, I finish a book even if I hate it. I do this because I've found that when I finish a book I don't like, I'm more able to shape and express my opinions than when I put it down at the first taste of disinterest/dislike. This practice informs my writing, because it helps me know what I like, what I don't like, and why, and what I believe I should or shouldn't do in my own writing. It's great to read a book you love, but I think it's equally important to be familiar with those you don't."


{Jason Jordan holds an MFA from Chatham University. His forthcoming books are Cloud and Other Stories and Powering the Devil's Circus: Redux--both from Six Gallery Press, 2010. His work has appeared in over forty literary magazines. Additionally, he edits decomP, accessible here, and his blog can be found here.}