Reading As A Reader Or As A Writer?

READER: The first page was interesting... The first chapter was fascinating... That hero is quite a cynic, isn't he? Another damsel in distress, I see! Uh-oh, it's getting complicated... He gets to kiss the girl... And she liked it... Her boyfriend didn't... Her Dad's not too keen either... Her Mum's jealous... I did not see that coming... That's four hours I'll never see again... WRITER: Brilliant first page, I'll nick some of those phrases... The first chapter... I'm so jealous right now... That hero, coulda been better... As expected, there's a girlie... Blimey, this writer's doing my head in... Here's that smoochie, kissy-kissy scene... Of course, she liked it, the little teaser! Boyfriend? What boyfriend? Dad's a control freak with catchy insults though... Mum's not the happy housewife... Why kill him? Why kill her? I could write better stuff than that any day... Denis Martindale March 2019.