Oh wow, that's really interesting... I actually think the issue might not be about prep vs no prep at all. The real problem is when people use character sheets to fill in boxes instead of to ask questions. Like, I used to write down "blonde hair, blue eyes, likes coffee" and call it done. But when I stopped doing that and just started writing, I realized I was filling in details as they mattered to the story. My main character's habit of cracking his knuckles only came out in chapter 5 when he was nervous during a confrontation. No sheet would have told me that. So maybe it's not about less prep, but about doing prep that actually helps you discover stuff instead of just listing traits.

Oh man, hard disagree. Cheap mud is a nightmare, that stuff is pure misery to sand.

Wait do you actually have a folder system for them or is it just a giant pile of digital clutter like mine?

The Goldfinch" as homework is exactly how my old book club would have described it too, and I'm the one who suggested it. I swear I thought I was being all sophisticated and highbrow, but really I just wanted to talk about a giant book with a little dog in it. Now I lead with something short and punchy, like a Riley Sager thriller, and only pitch the big literary stuff after everyone's had a few glasses of wine and is feeling generous. How do you decide when to test the waters with a longer book without making everyone groan?

Made the same swap last year after I tried to pressure cook a pot roast and ended up with something that tasted like a tire fire. The slow cooker just sits there and does its thing without making me feel like I'm defusing a bomb every time I open the lid. Now my stews come out tender enough that even my picky kid eats them, which is basically a miracle.