I read maps, worldwide earthquake bulletins, I read what I want to find out about. Government lies. Structural materials. All this can be used against me. I read newspapers. I read reviews which are sometimes about the reviewer pretty much. I write a few reviews a year and almost endlessly reread drafts of them to make sure they describe the book. I’m told it’s a waste of time, but it all helps me learn to write.

Somewhere in me there’s the employer whom I ask what is my job who answers, A little bit of everything.

(Joseph McElroy, interview with Trey Strecker)