Tina, you hit the nail on the head.
I am editing my book right now. I am analyzing every sentence I read.
Perhaps things will change when I'm done editing and resume writing.
I can see what Iaceu is saying too. When I do read something brilliant, I have a much greater appreciation for the author's skill. The only problem is that most books that I've picked up lately aren’t that well written. It seems that once an author makes a name for him/herself, a publisher will print anything they write - including novels that would have never stood a chance from an unknown author.