Though I want to say the novel is one of my favorite book formats, I don't recall reading a paper novel in years. I mentioned paper novel because my latest were read to me via audio books. That sounds crazy considering I attempt to write a novel every year for National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and my goal is to get them published and printed in paperback format. If I really write for myself (i.e. create stories that I'd like to read), then why do I want so badly to get my work put into a format I don't really consume?
I'd like to think it's not because I'm a vain person. Theoretically wouldn't it be the same to print my work as a .PDF and just make it available for download? After all, I'd still be getting my creative ideas out there, right? Emotionally and financially, no. It's not the same. There's something special to being able to hold a physical copy of my book that's for sale either in a bookstore or online with fancy options like one business day delivery.
With this literary arsenal I feel more prepared to jump into the editing process for my novels, so that they may actually see the light of day. I'm over halfway through with and really liking the top book, How to Tell a Story by Peter Rubie and Gary Provost. It's very much like taking an intensive course on creative writing with plenty of examples of successful stories that we know from classic books, movies, and even screenplays.
I've got a lot to read this month but after digesting this knowledge base it'll be a lot easier to move forward in the creative writing process.
A Mad Notepad 
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