Q: What do you do when you have to work on a book you don’t really like?
A: Your best.
There are several differences between reading for pleasure and reading for work.
When you read for work, you have to read more carefully and thoroughly. As an editor, I’m on a mission to catch errors, and I have to be aware and alert at all times. When I feel my attention start to fade, I stop. I take a break. I walk around a little. Focus on something else for a few minutes. An error can’t be allowed through because you skimmed a paragraph. It doesn’t matter whether you skimmed it out of disinterest or out of haste to see what happens next.
When you read for work, it doesn’t matter whether you like what you’re reading or not. I’m not getting paid to like a manuscript. I’m getting paid to make it the best that it can be. Can it be a struggle? Sometimes, yes. Sometimes I find that I work more easily in subject matter that doesn’t interest me, because I never get so caught up in the story that I forget to check the words.
Do I take on work that I wouldn’t read for fun? Absolutely. Do I tell the client that I wouldn’t read it for fun? Absolutely not. It’s not tactful or professional, first of all; additionally, my personal tastes don’t matter. Besides, I can almost guarantee that as long as the manuscript is well-written, I will find something in it to praise and to enjoy.
It never hurts to broaden your horizons and expose yourself to a topic or genre that you wouldn’t expect to hold your interest. At the worst, you’ll have a nice check in your bank account and a satisfied customer. At best, maybe you’ll find a gem in there to take away with you, too.
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