How many books have you read?

[Karlin]

I ask, because I think you need to read a lot in order to write well.

I'm older than many here. I've been reading for over 50 years. At least a book a week. So something like 2 or 3 thousand books.

 

[A. E. Lowan]

I ask, because I think you need to read a lot in order to write well.

I'm older than many here. I've been reading for over 50 years. At least a book a week. So something like 2 or 3 thousand books.

I agree with this. I think it's possible to barf out a short or maybe even a short novel, but it will lack the solid foundation that really well-backed stories sit on. Writing is a craft as well as an art, and no art can be mastered without first studying what came before.

I turned 49 for the third time a few months ago, and I had the incredible good fortune to have been raised by another writer in a writer-supporting home. I started reading early, I could write my name at around three, and when I started spouting stories, my mom typed them all down and, even more critically, she'd ask questions, my introduction to the What If? game. lol

How many books...? When I was 8, my mom turned me loose on the base library and her own mountain of paperbacks. I was reading at a college level and I ate books, and that never really changed. Take that to college and grad school, 20 or so years working in the world, and then these last few years where I've been at this full time... A few thousand, at least. These days I read about 5 books at the same time, two in fiction and three for research.

 

[KATutin]

Wholeheartedly agree that you should read a lot (and write a lot) in order to improve your skills.

I'm 29, and my reading has significantly dwindled compared to when I was a teenager, but if I had to guess . . . 300–350? I'd definitely like to crank that number up.

 

[pmmg]

I am not a reader. I don't like reading. I would almost never choose to read anything for enjoyment. Most reading I do is in the category of 'homework;.

I do not attribute much of my writing skill to reading, and probably never will. Most of my craft was honed through editing, both my own work and that of others.

Since most of what I read is homework, I tend to read at least one book from the well known authors to have an opinion on them, and if I am not reading that, I like classics the most, which I never thought I would, they always seemed stuffy to me growing up.

I have read more than I wanted to trying to wrangle up reviews. I did not really enjoy it, but had to be done.

I am also a slow reader, and cannot turn off my editor brain. So when I am reading, i am often judging...

I do not agree with the statement that one must read to be a good writer. I think there are many ways to achieve the same thing. I may be in the minority who try to achieve it a different way, but...I am not alone.

As it is, I have read more than a bit. I would put my total books at somewhere around 500ish lifetime. Most I did not enjoy it, but I am hard to please.

I prefer being on the creating end, and not the consuming end. If I have time to spare, I prefer to create, which means writing or editing. (This is partly why I cannot get into marketing as strong as I should, I am still creating the content. After book 5, I think that will change.)

 

[Mad Swede]

Being dyslexcic I do not read one book a week. But I do read as many as I can. I've never counted how many books I've read, but I have read widely: all the great Greek and Roman writers, the major Russian writers, all the major British and American writers, most of the major French writers and many of the major German writers. And of course, my own native Swedish writers. And also quite a lot of popular fiction...

I am a great believer in reading a lot as the basis for writing. How else can we as writers see what others have done to develop the craft? How else can we learn about writing?

 

[ThinkerX]

Up until a few years ago, I probably read a book a day, or maybe five a week, depending on other stuff going on. These days, owing to eye issues, it is 1-2 a week, most of them being review copies.

 

[Naruzeldamaster]

Unless Prima Strategy guides count in this discussion (I'm not sure they do...)
I've only read Two.
The First Harry Potter book, and the Non Disney version of Alice in Wonderland, hard cover. I'm sure I've read more in school but I've long forgotten them lol

 

[A. E. Lowan]

I am a great believer in reading a lot as the basis for writing. How else can we as writers see what others have done to develop the craft? How else can we learn about writing?

I read a lot of books on writing when I'm drafting our projects. It helps keep me grounded.

 

[Malik]

I forget where I read it, but the quote to live by is, "Reading is breathing in. Writing is breathing out."

 

[Miles Lacey]

I do about 95% of my reading sitting on the toilet. I would conservatively guess about three thousand books over a lifetime. These days my eyesight isn't great so I don't read as much now.

 

[pmmg]

Its an eloquent quote, but I am not with it. I depart with Malik on this one.

 

[Gurkhal]

Many, but not nearly as many as I would like to have read.

EDITED: Also I believe on should read broadly, if one wants to write, as to not get a tunnel vision in regards to learning or seeing what can or should be done. As well as get input and inspiration from as many sources as possible.

 

[skip.knox]

Like many others here, I've always read. Having for my sins gained a doctorate in early modern European history, the number of books I have read is a sketchy sort of rendering. There's I scanned it, consulted it, browsed it, read it superficially, read it cover to cover, read it multiple times. Was I supposed to be studying and learning how to write from each of those?

I'm not at all sure what I learn from reading. I suppose most people would discount all the history books, but in reply I would point out that in some universities, History was part of the Literature department. I'm absolutely certain that I learned how to get a large writing project all the way to completion when I wrote my thesis and then my dissertation. I also learned more of grammar and style as a history grad student than I did from either my English classes or from any and all fiction.

Since I've been writing (rather than wandering on paper), I find I am noticing technique and devices and even style in the stories I read. I am noticing pacing and tone. But it's not like I can learn from Raymond Chandler how to write dialog because his dialog is utterly out of place in my fantasy stories. I can admire how Patrick O'Brian is spot on with his portrayal of different social ranks, but all I can manage is the admiration. I read for enjoyment and for fulfillment. I write because it's a compulsion. Breathe in, breathe out. Something mysterious happens in the transaction, but what is it? Damnedifino.

 

[Karlin]

Many, but not nearly as many as I would like to have read.

EDITED: Also I believe on should read broadly, if one wants to write, as to not get a tunnel vision in regards to learning or seeing what can or should be done. As well as get input and inspiration from as many sources as possible.

Broadly. A few years ago I expanded my reading to include Asian classics, and I have gained much from this.

 

[Karlin]

I am not a reader. I don't like reading. I would almost never choose to read anything for enjoyment. Most reading I do is in the category of 'homework;.

I do not attribute much of my writing skill to reading, and probably never will. Most of my craft was honed through editing, both my own work and that of others.

This apparently works for you, but leaves me bewildered. When you edit your work, or someone else's, what is your basis for thinking a paragraph is good or needs improvement? Or what can be done to improve it?

 

[xena]

Thanks for sharing. Writing skill is built on pattern recognition, voice, and instinct.

 

[pmmg]

Thanks for sharing. Writing skill is built on pattern recognition, voice, and instinct.

I like this answer. Seems to fit what I might say.

I have said before that the fastest way to become a better writer is to review the crap out of other people's stuff. I have done a lot of that. And I have read a lot of bad writing. I've been at it for many years, and have honed a lot of skills. I edit the crap out of my own work. I try to keep it in voice. Mostly, I do focus on voice and have an instinct for it.

Easy to say, harder to show, but...I am one of the few that has been critiquing the works in the requesting critique section. You can assess my skill at it there if you like, or I can point you to some stuff I have written...

Pmmg's Onsite Stories

 

[Karlin]

I like this answer. Seems to fit what I might say.

I have said before that the fastest way to become a better writer is to review the crap out of other people's stuff. I have done a lot of that. And I have read a lot of bad writing. I've been at it for many years, and have honed a lot of skills. I edit the crap out of my own work.

You are saying that you do read quite a lot, but mostly beginner's writings, and "bad writing". Rather than reading established authors or " good writing".

Here I will admit my own failure. I do not, in general, review other peoples writing on this forum, or on other writing forums I've belonged to. I don't have the patience to do that.