What are your thoughts on reading as a writer? Has your literary journey turnned you into the writer you are today? Just some questions I was asked - thought it would be interesting to see what other people thought on the matter.
Yes I would say that reading helped me a lot as a writer. I really enjoy reading although right now I'm waiting for some new books.
Reading probably helps me become a better writer as I pick up on things that work and things that don't. I guess it helps reading something similar to what I'm writing when I get stuck as I can pick out devices to help me. Or if like I wanted to write a prologue and I was stuck I'd find it helpful to read through a few prologue that I remember enjoying and pick out why I liked them. On the other hand though writing has somewhat upset my interest in reading. I find books more easy to predict because I automatically fall into the state of mind where I think 'if I was writing this why would I have included that part,' or 'why's the character acting like that, oh it must be because...' Not saying I'm right every time but have noticed an increase since I first started writing. And I guess it's easier to do if I've read several books by that author. I don't actually read literary journals. I was thinking the other day I should start but I prefer to learn about writing by writing so I guess I always assumed it wouldn't really be beneficial. I think I might well reconsider though.
Much reading - and reading widely - is a major part of becoming a better writer. Just as the best guitarists are those who have vast collections of music.
Like Lemex said, reading is a vital part of becoming a better writer. You need to read a lot and widely. I do this. I read as a reader and then reflect on what I've read as a writer.
It helps your own writing - reading literature within the 100 Great Books and actually analyzing it gives you a great deal of insights into writing eloquently. Now that I can do it, I usually turn it off so I can read through a book without spoiling it for myself. Reading kinda sucks now.
Reading is as important to writing as writing is, providing you read widely enough. Go to the Guardian newspaper website, search for '1000 books you should read before you die', pick one and read it, then another, and don't worry if it doesn't seem like your cup of tea, you will amaze yourself.
I completely misunderstood the title of this topic. Of course reading helps your writing -- this is factual. The more you read, the better things you absorb, the better things you produce. What I thought originally was that you were going to discuss how writing has changed you as a reader. I have noticed that I can no longer enjoy films and books the way I used to before I became a real struggling writer. Now I pay a lot of attention to detail, storylines and plots and character dialogue. And book form. Oh, my God. I can no longer read without editing in my head! It's awful, really. Does anyone else have that problem?
I have that problem but also the problem of getting distracted by amazing virtuosity. Reading John Banville's 'Ghosts' at the moment is painful because he has such mastery of the form, ditto Colin Thubron, the travel writer, in terms of his descriptive powers.
