An interesting comment was passed during one of the sessions at the BlogWorld Expo in Las Vegas this week. Talking about the flood of information that often threatens to overwhelm us, one of the moderators on a panel asked how many in the room just skim what they read. Almost everyone raised their hands. He seemed satisfied.
I don't think I am. Certainly not when it comes to the kind of mysteries that visitors to this blog are reading. I much prefer to take my time and savor what I read. In fact, when dealing with a classic puzzle mystery, the author pretty much relies on that for the "fair play" element. If you skim a classic mystery, you are going to miss the key clues planted there for your enjoyment. And many of the best writers created prose which should distinctly be savored. Skim a "Bulldog Drummond"? Perhaps. Skim something by Ngaio Marsh or Ellis Peters? No.
Just say no to skimming. Why when there is too great of a chance of missing a perfect sentence, an important plot point, the one little detail that reveals a character, etc.
Posted by: Book Psmith | October 17, 2009 at 04:22 PM