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Reading and writing

edited March 2014 in Writing
Do you continue to read other books while your trying to write your novel, or do you find it a distraction?

Comments

  • all the advice is that it is good to write something everyday and read something everyday.
    I do find it a bit distracting, but sometimes find solutions for dialogue/technichal/passage of time problems.
    If I read something really good I think 'Why am I bothering' sometimes 'well, if he can get published - film rights etc - there is hope'.
    Like writing, it needs control/discipline/perspective etc....
    Me tired - long day - other peeps probs - no reading or writing - goodnight.

    Have you introduced yourself?
    Welcome.
    off to bed zzzzzzzzzzzz
  • Very important to read - and the better written the books, the better your writing will ultimately be. It rubs off.
  • I read books to see how other people do it. I'm always hoping some of the magic will rub off.
  • I can't conceive that anyone would not read while writing a novel - it could take years! Books are one of the tools of our trade - they provide source material, ideas, language, ways of working out problems, an innate sense of pace, all sorts.

    There are really no new ideas - just ideas freshly treated.

    And you need to keep up with what is selling and trends in your genre.
  • If you are a writer, reading and writing are like breathing in and out; you can't, or at least shouldn't, do one without the other.
  • I've always got some reading book on the go, but when I'm deep in writing my own novel I can't leave it for long enough to concentrate on reading anything challenging.
  • The only thing that works is the way that works for you. Some people are inspired by books and some find themselves emulating the style of whatever or whoever they are reading. While this can be handy, it can also ruin your own 'voice'. You could try reading different genres to whatever you are working on if that's the case and you don't want to take a break from books during the writing process.
  • I think if you end up emulating someone then your own voice isn't there yet.

    If you read about any brilliant author, they are always readers, insatiable readers. What comes out relies on what goes in.
  • edited March 2014
    I read this advice somewhere: read well written books by recognised masters of the craft to learn how to do it correctly, and read badly written books to learn how not to do it.
  • I read every day of my life. I used to worry that reading the same genre as my work in progress would be off-putting, but the more I write, the more my written voice becomes mine and it isn't easily influenced.
    And the more I've read badly-edited or badly-written books, the better I feel about mine!
  • If I read a book while I'm in the writing a novel phase then I don't read anything in the same genre- so no reading an historical romance while writing one, but I might read a contemporary romance in breaks between.
  • writing and reading are like inseparable twins.
  • I read all the time, but I mix up the authors and genres so my own writing isn't unduly infuenced by any particulare style.
  • Yes, I'm always reading. I think, subconsciously, you pick up cues like how dialogue works, how to structure a plot and what makes for good readability. Equally, if you read a book that's not well-written, it's good to analyse why.
  • The handiest thing that works is the manner that works for you. Some people are stimulated by way of books and some discover themselves emulating the style of whatever or whoever they're analyzing. While this will be handy, it is able to also spoil your very own 'voice'. You should attempt analyzing one-of-a-kind genres to anything you're operating on if that is the case and also you don't need to take a ruin from books throughout the writing manner. Law Dissertation Writers

  • You should attempt analyzing one-of-a-kind genres to anything you're operating on if that is the case and also you don't need to take a ruin from books throughout the writing manner. 

    Yep. 
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  • How come all these old threads are rising from the grave?
  • Hackers with nothing better to do with their time.
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