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Does everyone find that reading a lot helps their writing? Never fails to amaze how may writers I meet who don't read! I try to clear two books in a week (all being well) and it assists me in my work so much.
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I find reading helps me with any probs I have with my writing, when I get stuck or write myself into a corner - where I frequently find myself ...
I love reading children's/YA books - I'm never quite sure how it helps my writing, but I think it does!
Yeah, I read constantly. I don't get how other people can say they don't read - especially other writers. If you don't like reading, how can you expect anyone to want to read your stuff? And how can you hone your own skills if you don't look at other writers' material to see what works and what doesn't, or even learn how to use grammar and punctuation correctly? Most writers do their thing by instinct, but there are skills we need to learn so we can, hopefully, gain a bit of professional credibility, and the best way to do that is by reading.
*SA*
i tend to carry my book room to room even if i am moving to do a job i.e ill leave my book in the kitchen while i mop then while i wait for the floors to dry i am sat on the kitchen side reading.
i love reading!
Now I'm wondering, does everybody remember everything they've read?
I do find myself re-reading books I've read before quite often... covers change, and if you've read loads of books you do forget. The most irritating thing is to become vaguely aware you know the story about 75% through, and then remember exactly what happens 4 pages before the end... I hate that, particularly with detective novels!
Nowadays I read fact and fiction and poetry so it's hard to know how many each day, but I get through about 5 books(novels) a week plus I've dipped into or read through several poetry books and often read a factual reference book or two as well.
With novels I often find if someone's asking me what I'm reading that I have no idea... of the title I mean.
Currently reading Margaret Athill's autobiography (the last one, can't remember what it's called!), 'Rose, Where Did You Get that Red' by Kenneth Koch, 'Things Fall Apart' by Chinua Achebe, 'Book of Longing' by Leonard Cohen, The Collected Poems of Wallace Stevens and 'Butterfly Brain' by Barry Cryer.
When I lived in Spain, we associated with a lot of working families, there on contract for some of the biggest industrial giants there are. One family admitted they set the table for dinner with everyone's book by their place mat. They thought people who didn't do that were strange!
[quote=Liz!]but I get through about 5 books(novels) a week[/quote]
It's thanks to you and your ilk, Liz, that the rest of us have hope eternal that the publishing industry will need us somewhere down the line.
I go through periods when I read loads of books then have a rest for a while, usually when I am writing my own book, but I read poems every day.
Hurray for reading.
Have you ever been to Reading, either of you?
Think?
You can't miss it Carol. :)
yes thats right but they're not huge books about 300-400 pages each one.
i remember most books ive read, but occaisionally i will get halfway through a book and realise ive read it a few years previous
i do the majority of my reading when my son is at nursery, which is when my daughter naps or in the bath and then the little inbetween spare minutes i have. but it doesnt imposeon my family time.
im up very early in the morning which is when i get my housework done and then spend the rest of the morning playing with the kids and preparing the evening meal. my husband spends the evening on the guitar so he rarely notices when im not there, i could fall in the plughole for all he knows!
my writing is done late at night. i go to bed about 1am and tend to be writing until that time.
Anyway, I said earlier in this thread I have been inspired to get reading through that pile, and started this week. It's a good book an' all - Sophie Hannah.
:)