This is a phenomenon I've noticed mostly among poets-- they write but don't read poetry. (I, on the other hand, read poetry but don't write it.) But this is also about fiction writers. You tell me -- do you still read? Does it help or hurt your writing? I know lots of writers who don't like to read when they are writing. What do you all think?
Alicia
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I read 3 books just this weekend!
The only problem about reading when I'm really busy working on something is that i get sucked in and don't want to stop reading to go back to my own work.
I read this on a couple of author blogs and it blew me away. Both were very young people, so I wonder if it's a generational thing.
I read regularly. But...it will never in the genre that I'm writing. I'll save those for when the book is done and out the door.
The only time I don't read is when I'm deep in edits.
Ha! I have a feeling this might have stemmed from my complaint over the weekend that I haven't been reading much lately. In my case, though, it's doldrums rather than disinterest. It will pass just as soon as I find a book that grabs me.
Theresa
I read. LOVE to read. Wish I had more time to read. But poetry? I'll admit it, I don't read a lot of poetry, despite having Roadie Poet (I just posted a new Poet piece this morning, in fact). That's party because RP is primarily a story teller. He just does it in a short, terse way that works better when formatted as poetry.
I do a lot of reading, especially in my genre (mystery). Part of it is because I like the authors and part of it is because I want to study how they set up, then solve the crime.
I also read a little poetry. Because it's pretty.
I do have to watch what I'm reading when I'm working on a first draft, as the style and tone of a strong-voiced author can seep into my own work.
You "read poetry, but you don't read" it? Typo?
Reading is one of the most important parts of the writing life. I love to see how published authors do things.
The only problem now is to get out of analytical "writer mind" when reading, and true lose myself in the dream.
I wish I had time to read more than I do. I read a lot to my kids and am excited that we are getting to the chapter book phase of life.
Whenever I'm stuck with my writing I know it's time to take a break, read a book and the problem goes away.
I read. Writers need to read. Reading informs the writing as far as changes in writing styles, what publishers are looking for and what readers are reading, what works (and what doesn't), etc.
Well, I wonder how they plan on putting the proper comparison works into their query letters if they haven't read any other books?? lol
Seriously, I started reading "Alice in Wonderland" to my 8 year old over the summer, but she just couldn't take it and went back to her "Diary of a Wimpy Kid." I wasn't upset with her, mind you, as I was noticing myself that "Alice" is actually a rather difficult and tedious read, at least in comparison with "Wimpy"!
Maybe it is a generational thing and has been happening very gradually.
I've heard of writers who don't read when they're writing a book too. My question is, when are you not writing?! I can't imagine not reading. I'm sure my creativity would dry up if I did that. I do worry about the voice seeping into my own writing sometimes, but I solve that by having two or more books on the go at any given time.
I constantly read. I might avoid specific genres when writing, if I think they might lead me astray. But generally, I'm hoping for inspiration so it's not an issue.
I do have trouble reading other books while I'm in the middle of a writing project. I am so busy that I rarely have time to both write and read. This doesn't mean I don't read. I am not stupid/egotistical enough to think that I don't need to read. But I tend to go through big spurts of reading. I'll read a few dozen or so books in a month or two, then I'll not pick a book up for a few months so I can focus on writing. But I kind of have the impression that people who think their writing is worth reading, but who aren't willing to read something by another writer, are full of themselves.
Miss Sharp, I didn't like a lot of books as a kid that I LOVE now that I'm an adult. Alice in Wonderland is one of them. I don't think I was smart enough to understand all the plays on words in "Alice" until I was older. I love it, but as a kid, it just seemed stupid to me.
Wuh-oh. I fit this bill lately. I am having a horrible time finding books I can settle down into. *sigh* Paranormal's been "too dark." Contemporary has been "too light." I feel like Goldilocks in search of the perfect book. :(
I have, however, recently purchased 4 (The Help, Don't Mess With Texas, Canyons of Night, and Gone with a Handsomer Man) and I just re-read Amanda Quick's "The Perfect Poison" 2 nights ago. So maybe it'll pick up and change.
JT
I read around a lot of genres (and I'm reading more poetry again since I started going to readings, although I tend not to write it). I also read within genres I'm writing in, because I like to see how other people make their stories work.
Nothing annoys me more than writers who don't read, and read widely. You can learn so much from other genres about craft, about what to do and what not to do.
When I'm writing, I try to read stuff that is differnt than what I'm writing so I don't accidently pilfer an idea, but I would die without books.
I simply cannot imagine not reading for any length of time. Occasionally I am too busy and too tired to read for as much as a week or ten days, but I am not usually writing then either (except in the sense that I write for my day job).
That said, if a person just wants to write for themselves, I don't know that it matters whether they read. But if they want to write for publication, then I can't see how they can get any kind of handle on what works and what doesn't, genre conventions, etc unless they read and read widely.
I have trouble focusing on one book to read. (Same problem, actually, with writing.) I have about 4 going now. This is a problem with me, not the books.
A
"In my case, though, it's doldrums rather than disinterest. It will pass just as soon as I find a book that grabs me."
I've been calling it 'reader ennui.' I love to read but nothing has blown my dress up (I mean really, OMG, wow, up) in a long time. I think perhaps when my own harsh internal editor backs off of my work a bit my joy in the work of others will return.
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