What Editors Read For Pleasure

Posted by Derek Armstrong Dec 13, 2006

I expected strong preferences. I was wrong. Professional editors and agents, quizzed in my quick poll, admit to no genre preferences, no common characteristic beyond, "if it's good, I'll read it. If it's bad, I'll read it if other said it was good."

"I read to find out what others are doing, even for pleasure," one editor at a big house admitted. "I want to know what's succeeding and why. What readers are plugged into."

When I probed deeper, with "But for your own pleasure, I meant. Not research."

"I meant for my own pleasure. I like to read just about anything that's quality."

No genre preference?

Okay, that's not a huge surprise. But what I did find was an absence of genre preference. A professional editor or reader is as likely to pick up a hot sci-tech-adventure as a literary masterpiece. But one thread linked us all. We read what's new. We're not looking back to our favorite classics--not out of a quest for knowledge and professional self-improvement, but because we genuinely seem to have eclectic tastes. We like everything of good quality and imagination. From memoirs that make you cry to wacky humor novels that are anything but tasteful. From kinky and edgy novels to commercial novels from the breakout authors and the steady bestselling writers. We certainly can't admit to not having read anything that made it to the bestseller list.

On disappointment

One other trait that links editors and agents. When they buy a book, the majority claim they will read it through, even if they're disappointed. "I can't not finish a book," one editor at Kunati said. "Even if I don't like it, I'll read on to the end if I've committed to the pleasure read."

This tends to separate the casual pleasure reader from the professional reader who is reading for her own pleasure. The commitment to books is high.

Do you watch television?

Which led to my next big question. "Do you watch television?" The majority gave variations on "of course" but a deeper probe found that they'd be more likely to read several hours a day than watch television. "Unless I'm exhausted," said one agent, "I find television a little shallow after reading so many fine books."

Speaking for myself, I can tolerate some television, but never reality television. Which is, probably, why I chose reality television as the dark-humor setting for my last thriller, The Game. My lead character says "Television is just a plot to make people forget how to read. Reality television is a plot to make people forget how to live."

What about burnout?

"No such thing," said an editor-in-chief. "Books are all about passion. It doesn't matter how many I see a day at my office. I will always find time for pleasure reading."

Do you derive pleasure from the books you read professionally?

Speaking for myself, immense pleasure. I've read partials on thousands of manuscripts and many full manuscripts this year. Even many of the ones I've had to say no to—for reasons of positioning, marketing, or list integrity—have become personal favorites. When they're published by some other house, I'll buy them. Because the passion runs that deep. See my article on The Myth of Publishing for a more "tongue-in-cheek" view of this.