Monday, June 22, 2009

Writing hurts reading

Here's a short list of things I've noticed about writing and reading and how they affect each other:

  • Since I started writing that I can't read nearly as much anymore. Much of the free time I used to spend reading is now used for writing. It's odd, because I miss tearing through book after book.
  • Something else that bugs me is that when I'm reading now, I'll notice things I never did before. I used to read for pure enjoyment, and while I still enjoy it, the writing tips I've picked up affect my reading. I notice "saidisms," overuse of adverbs, and plot contrivances. It's an interesting experience.
  • To keep myself motivated while writing, I have to read. Reading books inspires me, even if they have nothing to do with my current WIP.

2 comments:

  1. Good post. Losing out on reading time is certainly detrimental to fun and like you said - inspiration.

    I haven't noticed a drop off in my enjoyment of books yet - though perhaps my acclimation to an aspiring writer has been too gradual and I never noticed the transition.

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  2. One author that I enjoyed as a reader that I can no longer enjoy as a writer is James Patterson. I always enjoyed the plots and characters, but I see now how formulaic most of his books are.

    Oh well. There's always more books out there.

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