Reading Woes

So this past month or so I've been posting chapters of a story I wrote online.
And the response to it has been far more than I ever expected a story of mine to ever receive.
Lol because of this story I've gained like nearly 400 followers.
And that's just crazy.
Because most other stories I've posted only gain me like 5-20 new people.
So to have almost 400 new people follow me over the course of a month?
Super crazy.

And there are times where I'm so confused as to why people like the story so much.
Like I like it because I thought the idea was cool.
But I've stared at my writing and the chapters so much....it's hard to see it as a reader would see it.
Hard to see why people like it. 
Like I know it's good. But great? Publishing material? 
Sometimes I have my doubts.

And then I read books that have actually been published.
And I realize.
I can write so much better than what I'm reading.

*shakes head*
I had that experience today as I actually sat down and read a book.
And it was a difficult story to get through.
And the only reason why I read the thing through to the end was because I'm stubborn and I'm trying to read more books than my family this year in an ongoing reading challenge.

But like the plot? The pacing? The story telling?
*exhales*
It wasn't up to my standards.
It felt like 'beginner' writing to me.
Like the plot was very "action by action" oriented. Where the author felt the need to go through every single moment of every single day. 
And it's what I consider a 'beginner's' way of writing stories.

Because really you don't always have to cover every single moment of the day.
Just cover the important parts.
The parts that drive the story forward.

That's one of my main focuses on each chapter I write.
That there is a goal that needs to be met. That something interesting is happening in the chapter.
It doesn't always have to be some big crazy thing.
But just something interesting enough to keep your readers reading and wanting more.

And the book I just read?
Only managed to get to the interesting part like 180 pages in. 
*exhales*
That's over halfway through the book.
The story before that?
Really could have been covered in half the pages probably.

But yah.

It's reading books like that.
Where I begin to see why people like my stories so much. Like reading my writing style.

So yah. ^^;;
Good to know that I can write better than some books that have been published.
Gives me more hope that I may be able to succeed if I ever actively go seek to get my stories published more officially with fancy covers and such. lol. 

Until you next see these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi