At the Desert Nights, Rising Stars Writers Conference, James Sallis challenged writers to read more and read more broadly--to choose wildly different genres to read. I've set a daily regime for reading short stories this year. 

1. Pick a theme for the week.
2. Choose your seven titles before starting the week’s reading or choose tomorrow’s title after today’s reading.
3. Blog or journal a brief response each day: an inspirational thought, a delicious phrase or a well executed writing technique.
4. If you read in the morning, you can take something from the story with you throughout the day—a light heart, an appreciation for nature, an intention to show mercy.
5. If you read in the evening, a theme in the story may connect with a happening in your day and inform your dreams.

Next year I might tackle essays, and poetry the year after that. Do you have tips that keep you reading?