If a book can intrigue me with a 2 short paragraphs, I know that book will be a good fit for me. Joke aside, if you like reading books, very rarely you will allow yourself to start "lame/bad" book. You know yourself the best. Also, if I don't get what I want from the book, I am not ashamed to throw it away (and maybe get back to it later).

I have heard numerous stories of people who left their careers to concentrate on writing. Some followed this path as a hobby, then ended up overwhelmed and having to make a choice. It may be about timing and also being passionate about everything they do.

Absolutely! Some books fly off the shelf just because the author is well-known or has written good books before. There could be a few other authors who are gifted but still don't have a global audience. Maybe there's also an aspect of timing!

There are countless (good) books out there, so it depends on a reader's genre of preference. I am sure many such links exist, but in my view, finding an exhaustive list isn't easy.

A good book isn't always a bestseller. In my view, it is that which gets read widely and receives good reviews. Some books get hyped and get mixed reviews, whereas others get popular without a lot of advertising.

Every reader is always excited to read such links; it helps them plan better or get to know about newly published books. I have read a couple of books on the list, and I will check out the rest.

I don't always agree with every article that lists the best books to read, yet there are about five books on the list that I hope to read soon. Do you believe in the hype that some books generate?

What do you think is the definition of a 'good book'? We see phrases like More than one million copies sold and assume that such a book can and is to be enjoyed by every reader. I have read two of the books on this list, and I somehow agree that these are classics.

Hey, @Gareth The Great, that is a really good idea. A small recorder would be just the job for saving some prose or dialogue that comes to me when I don't have the opportunity to write them down, for example, when driving. I think I will invest in one as soon as I can and see if it helps.

I'm no writer, but maybe you'd find it easier to dictate your novel into a recorder and pay someone else to do the typing. Some people find that faster. Or you could get voice recognition software that essentially performs the same task.

I have never thought of writing a novel, but I assume it takes a lot of hard work, dedication, and commitment to do so. You may need to hire a few people to keep you on course.

What he said^ Writing a book is more than just........well........writing the book. Keep a notepad on you at all times and jot down ideas as they come to you. Research publishing houses that work with the genre you're writing in. Re-work your financials to save for the costs you will incur to get the book edited and published. That's the just the tip of the iceberg.

You can always just edit what you have and make a novelette or short story out of it. It's your work of art, you can make it what you want.

That's awesome that you are writing a book! I have never tried to. I doubt people would want to read anything that I write. I bet they do have to really buckle down and get things done.

Has any member here had a go at trying to write a novel? If so I wondered if you have any tips. I am about 50 pages into my novel, but it is hard to put aside time to get any further. There always seems to be something else to do! I guess all novelists have to very strict with themselves with time management and have an efficient method of note-keeping.

Jodi Picoult has been writing for the longest time (her debut novel Songs of the Humpback Whale came out in 1992), but I feel embarrassed that I haven't read any of her works. I will challenge myself with one of her books before the end of next month. I can't think of any favorite authors as yet, and my current read is Oliver Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout.

J.K. Rowling is probably my favourite author, but I'm into nonfiction at the moment. I usually pick those books by their subject instead. Right now I'm reading The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert.

Nineteen Minutes was a tough one to read. I love that the books are real. School shootings, Autistic kids, family drama, etc.. I haven't watched any of the movies. I am more of a book person.

I think I've read most of her books too. I watched My Sister's Keeper, I loved it. It was very sad but a great movie. Nineteen Minutes was probably the saddest one I read. It took me at least 3 times to finish it. I kept putting it down and read something else in between.

A fair few have been made into movies. The best one is probably My Sister's Keeper. The story is riveting, but be prepared for the waterworks because it's a tearjerker. Are all of her books evocative?

Interesting, I didn't know that any of Jodi Picoult's books were made into movies. I don't have a favorite, I have loved them all. They are so real. I haven't heard of Caroline Kepnes. I will look her up to see if I want to add her to the must-read list, thanks!

I've read The Pact by Jodi Picoult. The book was excellent, but the movie was just dreadful. It butchered an excellent story. Do you have a favourite book from her collection? Lately I've been into psychological thrillers. I enjoyed watching both seasons of You and decided to pick up the book by Caroline Kepnes which inspired the programme. The book is supposed to be better, but I guess that's usually true. I plan to read her next book too.

Any avid readers? Which writer's do you like? What kind of books? I'm a Jodi Picoult fan. She writes very interesting, true story, tough topic books.

The major downside of any book club is people will have different tastes and preferences, and this may not match ours. The upside is that there is some discipline that results from having accountability partners.

I used to be a member of a book club. Not anymore because I didn’t really enjoy the atmosphere there. But it depends on the individual I guess. I have some friends who really like book clubs and are still active in those they have joined.