I find reading a lot of novels a chore. I read 20 in the last calender year, and feel I could do that again, but any more of that would be overkill. On the other hand, I like reading non fiction material. But here's the thing- I want to write novels. I am a creative, and I respect fiction writers as artists much more than non fiction writers. I also prefer to be influenced by actors and musicians artistically, as opposed to novelists. Am I one of a kind? Is there anyone like me here?
You don't like reading novels but read one every two weeks? I'd wager that's about average for someone who likes reading. There is no way you're one of a kind in that respect.
Hi Rohan. If you find reading a novel a chore, well... good luck writing one! By all accounts it's a substantial project. I'm influenced by musicians and photographers - 'artistically' as you put it - though not by preference; I just love music & photography. Whilst similarities can be drawn between the different mediums, perhaps there's no substitute for thoroughly acquainting yourself with the art form in which you hope to excel. Go well.
Hi Rohan, There comes a time where any reader may feel tired and bored. of course, one should try to find a useful alternative that will encourage him/her to continue his literary profession or hobby when he comes back to it.
I write fiction, but I also 'like' reading non-fiction much more than fiction, but there'd been a time when I couldn't get enough of fiction. Granted, that's been before I discovered non-fiction. But fiction reading has its uses. I get no end of pointers on how to write characters. How to make a scene effective. Though how to make a scene 'real', well I don't know. I'm trying to pick that up from non-fiction. I'm not sure I succeed, but that's a learning curve and I barely started.
Not alone. When I started really writing strong at fourteen I was reading more true crime novels, bios and movie review books than anything. I also have a hard time finding fiction books I like so I'm not reading as much fiction, as I feel I should, and I tend to be torn between my love of writing and movies. I'm a huge classic movie lover so I can tend to feel a bit odd duck out when I hear people gush about Jane Austen or the latest novel that just came out meanwhile I've been having a Jean Arthur marathon. But here's the thing-- I love to write stories. So there's no need to really split hairs or conform to a narrative. If you can produce the results there's no need to show people how you got there. It's not like school where the teachers is yelling in your ear -- I wanna see how you worked it out. Nobody cares.
For most of my life, I read mostly non-fiction, usually within my interest range (pop culture, modern history, etc). I've only been reading fiction, mostly the classics, for the past few years. I quite enjoy reading them actually and it has helped with my writing. But your question is can you be an avid non-fiction reader and still write fiction. I think the answer is yes.
I have to agree with @Tenderiser. Are you sure you don't like reading? I would say twenty novels a year is a good amount to read. And I can't see anyone who thinks reading novels is really a chore going on with this. So, what's really going on? Maybe it's that you've gotten your hands on some exciting or interesting nonfiction. Nonfiction is such a big category. Are we talking newspaper and magazine articles? Memoirs? Books with a journalistic approach? History? Honestly, I'm not even sure what it is you like about nonfiction and how you see the writing so different than novels. I get it. True vs. made up. But well-crafted prose and exciting stories can be found in both fiction and nonfiction. You read a lot. And you don't think so? I don't understand not liking the finished product and still wanting to make one. That's basically what you're saying, no? And your influences for doing this are not the people who have done it before you? Are you sure? I bet you've picked up more than you think from reading novels. But if novels are not your thing, why are you bothering with them at all?
You're not alone. I rarely read novels but am writing one. I read tons of bios and autobios, though. In a good year, I read perhaps only two or three novels. Good bios and autobios have plot, pacing, antagonists, etc. . I also find that reading bios and autobios helps me round out the psychology of my fictional characters and determine their motivations, which makes them more real. With fiction, my characters tend to sort of fall out of the sky nearly fully formed, so sometimes the writing doesn't feel like it comes from me. (The editing, on the other hand...that's definitely me.) I work much, much harder when I'm writing non-fiction. But, a good story is a good story, whether true or not, so I really don't look at the end result as being that different.
Oh, I thought reading 20 or so novels a year isn't 'enough'? All the advice I've read is you need to read close to a novel a week, which I think is a personally a bit much. 20-30 is doable for me.