Writing vs Reading

[D. Gray Warrior]

So, I'm in a bit of a conundrum here. Like everyone else here, I enjoy writing fiction, especially speculative fiction. However, I must confess that I am not an avid reader of books. Idk what it is, I just struggle to finish anything I try to read.

I've been told that one cannot be a good writer without also having a voracious appetite for books. So, I find it a bit discouraging.

I think for me, I just have a hard time focusing with novels for an extended period of time. It's rare for a book to catch my interest long enough that I'm able to devour it from start to finish. I wouldn't say I hate nor dislike reading, but I am pretty picky about what I read.

I really don't know what to do. Is anyone else finding themself in this situation?

 

[pmmg]

I am not a reader.

I don't really enjoy it, and seldom read for enjoyment.

I do like creating and try to do that often. I have read many things, which in many aspects were kind of home work. Many things I have read, were things I did enjoy, but it was still not something I did thinking, oh, this will be fun.

I think you can write and not be a reader, but the path may be harder.

 

[Finchbearer]

I’m sure there’s lots of writers out there who are not voracious readers…but I am probably in the camp of, it’s going to probably help you a great deal if you do read books. Even if it’s just for ‘homework’ purposes. Many of my favourite authors are voracious readers.

 

[Mad Swede]

I'm severely dyslexic, to the point wher it qualifies me as disabled. But I read, as much as I can, because I enjoy letting my mind picture what is happening as I read the story. For me the enjoyment of stories started early, listening to my grandmother and other older relatives telling folk tales. It was about learning to enjoy a good story, and then using that as motivation to read despite my dylexia. I don't see how you can learn to write good stories or develop your own style without first learning to enjoy reading them.

 

[The Dark One]

I'd never want to discourage any writer and I don't presume to know (quite) everything...

That said, IMnsHO there is no better preparation for good writing than reading. Lots of reading.

I've learnt a great deal about writing - much of it self taught over the years - but that learning was mostly acquired through being an obsessive reader. I (and many like me, no doubt) picked up the tools of storytelling by become deeply steeped in the best stories of my favourite genres. There are aspects and patterns of good storytelling you grow to recognise through constant immersion, and eventually will reproduce yourself after integrating those lessons with your own personal style and perspective. In other words... your voice.

I've just had my fifth novel published and am contracted for two more in that series, so what I've done and what I do works for me.

Not everyone is the same, and I'd never claim that successful writing can't be done by non-readers... but I reckon they are at a disadvantage if they aspire to being widely read.

 

[Karlin]

I read. A lot. There is no question that it's helped me write. Much of my reading is for fun, some is for research, and some is both. I've been bragging about having read all the Ming Dynasty classics, which has been fun (for me). Half the Talmud so far as well. Working on Churchill's history WW2. And the occasional detective novel.

If reading doesn't work for you, try audio books or podcasts.

 

[A. E. Lowan]

I was an absolutely voracious reader... and then I majored in Lang and Lit in college. Nothing on this planet slows down reading faster than reading for work, be it academia, best practices at work, or just reading for the articles.

Once upon a time I could read an entire adult-size mass market paperback in a day and then go looking for more. Then, once you cast your hook on that literary star, you start reading to learn, to "close read," and your reading speeeed slooooooooows waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay doooooooooooooooooooown.

My college mentor just retired. She's now trying to relearn for pleasure.

I may be a big reader, between learning from the voices of better writers or for research for my team's own work, but I've never regained my speed and anecdotally I never will. We shall see about that.

I'll give the advice I give everyone. Read voraciously (or at least consume quality media with wild abandon), because your best writing teachers are between those covers. Read about writing. Consume information and ideas and new worlds until you're ready to burst.

Then write.

 

[pmmg]

Once upon a time I could read an entire adult-size mass market paperback in a day and then go looking for more.

Never been there.

I am perennially in the Sloooooow Waaaaaay doooooown part.

 

[skip.knox]

As for reading speed, don't overlook the effects of age. My eyes get tired, my body gets tired, my hands get tired. I'm pretty sure if I had back that young body I dimly recall having, I'd read more.

At the same time, don't overplay the effects of academic reading. I had the opposite experience. Once I hit grad school, I began reading for research. I became an exploitative reader; that is, I would read only what I needed to extract the information I was after. I could consume five or more books in a single day. I spent years like that, and almost never reading fiction.

Once I was out of school and working, I returned to reading fiction. I blew through a number of books before I realized I was skimming. I had to re-learn how to slow down and give the author an even break. It took a few years to get back to what I think of as normal reading.

Once I started writing seriously, my reading style changed again. My experience there is what practitioners talk about in many fields. Once you know how to produce music, you don't listen to recorded music the same way. Same goes for painting, architecture, ... and writing. You start to notice stuff you never noticed as a reader.

And that's where I disagree somewhat with the adage, for it speaks as if all reading is the same for all readers. It isn't. It's entirely possible for a person to read whole libraries of books and yet learn little about writing. It's also possible for one who writes to read more or less obliviously and learn little. You have to be paying attention.

My revision is this: the writer who wishes to learn more about their craft will learn more if they read attentively, and will learn less if they don't. The learning doesn't happen by magic. As a corollary, of two writers who wish improve their craft, the one who reads more is likely to learn more. Even so, it's still possible to learn and improve, even if you don't read widely. If you aren't a reader and want to write, do so and don't feel guilty.

A question occurs to me. If I'm one of those who only listens to audiobooks, do I learn different things than a person who reads? I would guess there'd be a difference; the question is the significance of the difference.

 

[Demesnedenoir]

No doubt some reading is good, but after what point does it not matter? This probably depends on the writer in question. Some people have the knack, others have to work hard to learn it. I'm sure there are a lot of variables, but I'm not in the read, read, read camp. I read most in high school, but there still wasn't that much I wanted to read as far as fiction goes. I've always been picky. I read maybe one fantasy book in a year... maybe. Most of those I read now are because I've talked to the author.

There are only two Must Dos to be a writer, off the top of my head. Have a general grasp of grammar and write.

 

[Prince of Spires]

I read because I enjoy reading. Life's too short to do things you don't enjoy for long periods of time...

There are a few things reading a lot helps with:
- Story structure: read 3-act stories, or Hero's Journey stories, or any other story structures a lot and you get a good idea of what sort of things need to happen in a story. About what a good story structure looks like
- Trends in fiction: Fantasy today is very different from Fantasy 20 years ago, which was very different from Fantasy 40 years ago. If you've only read Tolkien and then stopped, then you have missed out on a lot of change in the genre
- Cliches: Now, this comes with an asterix that any cliche done well stops being a cliche. But if you never read a specific genre, then you don't know what the tropes or the cliches are.
- Vocabulary and sentence structure: There are lots of words in a language. The best way to learn a lot of them and how to use them is to read a lot. Same with sentence structures and grammar and the like. Reading helps.

Now, all this doesn't mean that you can't write without reading. You can learn about story structure some other way. Or about what's cliche and what isn't. And you don't need a lot of fancy words to be able to write. And as others have mentioned, not all reading is done equally. But it helps. It helps because of the above points and more. If you don't read, you'll need to find help on these aspects somewhere else. Which is possible of course.

 

[Finchbearer]

On the subject of audiobooks - I think there is a big difference. I remember listening to Treasure Island on cassette tape as a child, then reading the book, and safe to say that the book was far more memorable and visceral. Why? I think there is something is reading the actual words on a page that makes it a unique experience, there’s probably science behind it that I have no idea of, but I’d say, if you can, read the book rather than listen or watch.

Start with classics. They are classics for a reason. You’ll see exactly how successful writers write, and I just don’t think you’ll gain that knowledge any other way. To work your way up to becoming a reader, start with a goal, just ten pages per day. That’s a very attainable goal, and you’ll probably realise that you’ve read half the book and you’ve learnt something along the way.

 

[The Dark One]

On the subject of audiobooks - I think there is a big difference. I remember listening to Treasure Island on cassette tape as a child, then reading the book, and safe to say that the book was far more memorable and visceral. Why? I think there is something is reading the actual words on a page that makes it a unique experience, there’s probably science behind it that I have no idea of, but I’d say, if you can, read the book rather than listen or watch.

Start with classics. They are classics for a reason. You’ll see exactly how successful writers write, and I just don’t think you’ll gain that knowledge any other way. To work your way up to becoming a reader, start with a goal, just ten pages per day. That’s a very attainable goal, and you’ll probably realise that you’ve read half the book and you’ve learnt something along the way.

While I agree reading the classics is important... I don't think it's important from a writers' craft perspective.

It's really important to know the important ideas that have gone before or you can look very naive trotting out premises that were used over a hundred years ago.

From a craft perspective, more recent books are better - although I believe that storytelling is a lost art. At least in sci-fi and speculative fiction, which is where I operate.

 

[Finchbearer]

Take Jayne Eyre for example, that’s like reading a book that was written yesterday. It’s so modern in how the perspective is written, I see that style a lot in contemporary fiction. But there is a reason as to why that’s a classic. Not arguing against, but I assume you’re talking about trends, how contemporary writers write. That’s not always a good thing to model your writing style on, although maybe it’ll make your book sell. You have to decide what you’re more bothered about.

Obviously if you start going into antiquity then that might be quite advanced for a beginner reader. 19C upwards probably best bet.

A good practice would be to read a classic, then a contemporary equivalent.

 

[Karlin]

In writing, I don't try to match current trends, or follow standard templates. Nor do I read based on a list of must-read books. Maybe it would be easier to sell if I did what everybody does, but I'd lose interest in writing very quickly.

 

[Foxkeyes]

Reading a lot and copying your favorite authors helps develop your style. Copying is how we learn everything.

Does anyone tend to critique every book as they read it? This has happened me, to the extent I don't read much anymore.

 

[The Dark One]

In writing, I don't try to match current trends, or follow standard templates. Nor do I read based on a list of must-read books. Maybe it would be easier to sell if I did what everybody does, but I'd lose interest in writing very quickly.

No-one suggested you do what everyone else does. No writer worth the name would ever want to do that.

The discussion is about what can be learned about storytelling from reading. It is not about slavishly copying the successful to cash in.

 

[The Dark One]

Reading a lot and copying your favorite authors helps develop your style. Copying is how we learn everything.

Does anyone tend to critique every book as they read it? This has happened me, to the extent I don't read much anymore.

Yes, I can't help it. I learned the skills and tools of deconstruction at uni and I (almost subconsciously) apply them to everything I read.

In my case, it doesn't detract from the reading experience - it enriches it. I do lament the fact that it's very hard to shock or surprise me in any story (because I understand the beats of storytelling) but when that does happen, I rejoice.

I love a writer being good enough to trick me with a surprise reveal that was hidden in plain sight.

 

[Ban]

Never been there.

I am perennially in the Sloooooow Waaaaaay doooooown part.

The objectively correct way to read is to read a couple of pages multiple times over, reflect on the pretty prose and interesting facts, let your mind wander and then do the same thing for the next two pages a week later. That's the trick to stretching out a single book to a months-long time-burner.

 

[pmmg]

The objectively correct way to read is to read a couple of pages multiple times over, reflect on the pretty prose and interesting facts, let your mind wander and then do the same thing for the next two pages a week later. That's the trick to stretching out a single book to a months-long time-burner.

Sometimes, thats how it gets done.