trilby... if you want to be an actor, listen to audio versions of books... if you want to be a writer, read them!
I think you do have to read as much as you can. You said that your interest lies in theatre, then maybe don't read novels so much? Perhaps read short stories instead, but also focus on reading plays since that's where your writing interests lies. Also, listen to plays and short stories on the radio.
Audiobooks have the wonderful advantage that you can actually read and write at the same time. I have just used BBC Radio4 to listen to Sister by Rosamond Lupton and wrote four pages of my book. And earlier today I heard the fith episode of a biography of Roald Dahl whilst editing my first novel. I'm looking forward to getting the other book stations on my radio when they finally get digital sorted in my area. The BBC website has access to audiobook that you don't need to buy.
Wreybies put it perfectly. Not to be cruel, but how are you to know what "good" is if you don't read. Unless you're god's gift to literature you're probably overrating yourself.
As I have started writing, I can't enjoy reading as much as I used to. I am becoming critical of the books I loved to read, and I don't think I like this change. It is so bad that I may give up writing, just so I can enjoy reading again.
It's usual to start seeing behind the curtain as you learn to write better. The most common solution is to read better writers. The better a writer is, the less you'll be able to identify his tools and tricks, which will let you enjoy his stories and will even give you an extra pleasure, to find, from time to time, wonderful... feats of writing skill that will surprise and amaze you.
Gaiman. Beyond how much you may like his stories, he has amazing writing skills. He does things with words that make you hate yourself when you realize you'll probably never reach his level. For SF, you can read K.Dick. His skill is very uneven, but the good parts are really good, and you can learn from him how to navigate a story in the most complex and unnatural waters. Gibson if you like his almost poetic prose. Niven for how easily he makes you enter his world. In fantasy, Zelazny.
Lots out there, some for writing skill, others for standards in the genre. Some for both: Tolkien Mervyn Peake Ursula K. LeGuin George R. R. Martin Glen Cook Gene Wolfe Philip Jose Farmer Joe Haldeman Niven / Pournelle Robert Heinlein Tim Powers James Blaylock Fritz Leiber H.P. Lovecraft Robert E. Howard Jack Williamson Steven Erikson Plenty more, but the list is already getting long...
I'd remove from the list all of those who you've included for being standards in the genre and leave only the ones with high quality writing. (And I won't point out whom of those I believe do not represent high quality ).
China Mieville, IMO peerless when it comes to SF (or weird fiction as I believe he calls it). Even 'Kraken', which is rubbish plot-wise, should be read for the writing alone. Perdido St Station, The Scar and 'The City and the City' are simply excellent. For the 'science' on how to deal with power hierarchies in sci-fi, Stephen Donaldson's Gap series. He's a funny sort of writer - one of his aims appears to be to use every word in the English language at least one - but his grip on plot and character development is fearsome. For enjoyable sci-fi, especially when it comes to postulating about new technology, The Night's Dawn trilogy by Peter F Hamilton. If you don't mind long stories, of course. For classic fantasy then of course the original Covenant Chronicles by Stephen Donaldson (6 books; little one in the middle whose name I always forget, optional). Superior to Tolkein (whom he ripped off) in every way. And for sheer imagination, fun and excellent technical skills, Dan Simmons' Ilium & Olympos (two books, same story). So rare to get something original, exciting and well written in the fantasy genre. And if you're familiar on a broad level with Greek mythology, which I love, it's even better. And whilst I'm at it, Clive Barker's books (Damnation Game, Weaveworld, Imajica, Great and Secret Show) are well worth a read. Very well written, on the whole.
This is a very complicated question. I'm going to venture a little off the topic. I think reading definitely plays a part in your writing BUT it can vary from a small part to a huge part. I think there are many factors. Some people are just creative, point blank, and they might not need to read nearly as much as someone else to be as good as them or better. Some people are very particular and pay attention to EVERYTHING. It's just part of a personality. You notice the words people use, their body language, how things look, etc. Things you would find described in a book, but it just comes naturally to you. Some people just live life. The thing I don't like about "readers/writers" is lots of times they are not livers. I know a lot of people who write who are WAY different from each other. Some of those quiet types who never go out, never experience the world, just lock themselves inside and read all day. It sounds like some of you are saying THAT'S the way to be to be a great writer. I think you need a balance. You do need to read to an extent but don't overdo it. Live life. Living life is where your personality, ideas, creativity, beliefs, etc develop. You need that. I also think some people just don't care what the norm thinks; this can be good or bad, depends. Lot's of people let society tell them what is good (writing, movies, beliefs, etc) and they take it as truth. I think if you are the type that finds most novels/stories/texts good, then you might not be a good writer. This is not always the case. But someone who thinks 99% of things they read suck means either 1) they are reading the wrong things, 2) they are delusional, or 3) they are creative enough to a point where they just aren't impressed by anything anymore. I think all these things play a factor in whether or not you will be a good writer FAR more than reading does. In other words, I think reading a lot MAY backfire. I know people who read all day and when I read their writing, it's nothing new. They are so consumed in books that they don't have a voice of their own. I think reading helps you with your technique, but once you get your technique, continuing to read so much can hinder your creativity. It's like the guitar thing. You need to have listen to guitar to learn how to play. But that can only take a few years. Then after you learn how to play, continuing to listen can blind you. I know people who just stop listening. They almost forget what the norm is, and that's how new things are created.
JoeyBoy, that last paragraph, I fear is already what is happening. The lists of authors were not unfamiliar, but I just have not had the time to read. I guess... I don't mind reading something trashy or poorly written. Sometimes, I can say to myself, "Forget it, just enjoy it and have fun. It may be a crap story, but that doesn't matter." Simple stupid stories, churned out trashy romance novels... I just want to be able to enjoy reading.
My favourite authors don't just read they have or had a passion for reading. It was a passport to another world. Charlotte Bronte, Jane Austen, Roald Dahl, JK Rowling, CS Lewis, Louisa May Alcott, Maya Angelou. Their passion is evident, their love for a good story etc I think you need to do more than just read to be the best you need to see and recognise magic in a story.
I would guess that just about anyone who would fall into #3 really belongs in #2. Most truly creative people appreciate creative ability in others. I've met a few folks in my time who "just weren't impressed by anything anymore", and none of them had any claim to superiority whatsoever.
Okay I know it may seem silly if you think a writer or author can't possibly be bad at reading, right? WRONG! I will be the first to admit. I am a horrible reader. I usually am not in the mood to read, but I FORCE myself EVERYDAY to read and read and write as much as possible. When time allows. If I am not into reading, I find it hard to concentrate. My mind wanders too much. But when I write, it's like reading my mind without even trying sometimes. I love writing better. And then when it's complete, like a chapter or story or poem, I can kick back and read it.........................but like I said, I still struggle some times with it. It's that creepy real life I am in bugging me to come back to it. LOL Was wondering how everyone else felt about their reading and writing skills.
I'm sure my husband would be ecstatic if I was a bad reader like you, but I've been a bookworm practically since birth. When I was seven or eight years old I read Snugglepot & Cuddlepie by May Gibbs (200 or more pages, I believe - the copy I have now doesn't have numbered pages) in one day. As an adult I have repeated this effort many, many times. It's harder now with two young children, but I do what I can and usually have at least three books going at one time As for my writing, if I was as prolific with that as I am with reading I probably would have finished a couple of dozen novels by now. I have a pretty savage self-editor living in my poor, overheated brain, and it often doesn't let me get very far before I have to go back and hack what I've just written to pieces.
I wasn't (still can't claim to be but I am almost there) an avid reader. And then I started writing, ever since then I am enjoying my reading more and more, which in turn is helping in improving my writing. So it goes like this: Writing makes me better reader, reading makes me better writer.
Thanks for sharing that Mummymunt, I envy you. I like this. I think you nailed it. With everything it takes time, practice does make prefect if you work you heart into it. this is a good way to live by. Nice statement!
I grew up as a bookworm, too. I loved reading and still do. But writing focuses me more. Nothing I've ever done in my life makes me concentrate as much as writing does - I feel like I devote more of my brain to writing than to reading. I don't know if that makes me a "better" writer than reader, but there it is.
I am much more experienced reader than writer - I have read thousands of books but only written one. I am passionate about stories no matter where it comes from, doesn't need to be a book, I listen to books on the radio, poetry reading etc. I love story in computer games, and TV shows. I love it in play form. Legends and ballads - ancient myths, real life - I was studying to be an archaeologist I used to love taking an artefact and telling it's story, coming across something in a museum box that noone else has seen in 100 years is exciting, finding and recreating a pot that hasn't been seen in 900 years is amazing but it is all story and telling of it. I love mathematical equations and science because of the stories there, I just love story lol It seeps into my soul and takes me away from my life. I am blessed to be a very fast reader and can read a novel in around 2-4 hours so can go through a lot. I read less now works out about thirty books a year rather than the 5-30 books a week before i left school. However I am aware of how much confidence that gives me in my stories as I tell them. I know what I like in a story, I know what grips me. As a result I know my story is good. I know about playing around with punctuation and what has worked in stories I have read. I understand about voices, I understand what works by way of POV and what stories work best in first, second, third person. Which ones don't work as well. I know what I like with past and present tense. I knew about Mrs Malaprop and that I wanted one in my story. I know about the fun verbose characters I have read. I know how much description I like. My book is written based on what I love to read, watch on TV etc - there are elements from the best stories in my book. However I like my story - I enjoy reading it and I am as passionate about my own characters and story, as I am about those in other books. I have taken control like I do with my reading and written what I like. With my reading I do not care about the author I will skip pages - move on if I don't like them. And I am not scared to put down a book I don't like. I need to love the character to invest time with what to me feels like a good friend for those few hours. I usually read the same book 5+ times if I love it.
I'm definitely a better reader. I've read avidly since I was five or six, and I started reading adult fiction around 11 or so. To me, being an avid reader is one of the most important steps to becoming a writer, at least as far as unpublished writers go. It's how you soak up the tropes and cliches and know what's been written and what new stuff you want to write.
