Connie's Corner

Random Read

It seems I am always clicking the little button called "Random Read". Stories, poetry, anything can come up to surprise me. The first thing I do after that is click on "Details" to find out a little more, when the article was written, a bit of description, and how long it might be. Then, I read.

As I'm reading I tend to make assumptions about the author, where they are from, their age (young, middle, or old only), male or female. After a quick read-through, I can wait no longer, I must click on their suitcase. Urgently, it seems, I read their bio block. Sometimes, it tells me a lot, sometimes not much. I wonder how the author decides what to write, here, where most get their first impressions of the person inside. Yes, I consider the port as a little house with a person inside, a 'port in the storm' for many of us. Many bio blocks speak to the person's writing, their opinion of its value even, how long they/ve been at it, what they would like to accomplish through it.

At this point, I am either really interested or too bored to go on. I guess it depends on the audience for whom the bio block is intended. If I go on, my next tab click is biography. Sometimes, I am very disappointed when this page comes up. Many people of all suitcase colors have not completed their biography! What a letdown after all that has led up to it. If there is nothing, what else to do? Review the story I've read without really knowing anything about the author? Usually, not.

But if there is a biography, I read every word to see if any or all of my assumptions have been correct. It's a kind of game, I guess, and it gives me some insight into the story I just read. It's like reading S. King. I have to know something about his "real" life to try to understand what and why he writes. Reading the biography makes me feel a little bit closer to the author, puts me on speaking terms...so to speak.

I'm not sure this is making much sense. I just want to share the personal importance I attach to the biography tab and why. You may not think it's important, but uncompleted, it could be a stumbling block for reviews from others as it is with me. Please take the time, tell me about you.

until next time....c