The beginning of a new year is a great time for diversification and self improvement so I’m about to attempt to achieve exactly this. My reading preference has always been very narrow and while the first writing course I ever went on suggested this was a positive thing – I knew instinctively in which genre I wanted to write – I now wonder if a more eclectic range of reading material could enhance my own writing. So to this end today I embark to my local library in the attempt to broaden my horizons, literarily speaking. I’ve randomly picked out five books from Holly Lisle’s list “396 Resources Writers Recommend to Kickstart Your Writing, Stand Your Thinking On Its Head, And Vastly Increase Your Ability to write what you know”. I doubt my ability to read all 396, after all only a few of them might be available in New Zealand. Then I’ll also have what might turn out to be my flagging enthusiasm to overcome, I really doubt I could survive a week without reading a romance. See I’m finding excuses already. Still, publishing my intent will keep me honest.