Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Are You Reading?

I’m surprised by how many writers I interview who say they don’t read anymore, they don’t have the time.

I say you have to make time to read. It helps you grow as a writer. I know being on a deadline, keeps you pretty busy. However if you’re only reading your work, how will you grow? How will you challenge yourself to be even better with each book?

Competition makes you up your game. If you’re not reading you have no way of knowing what’s on the market. You have no way of knowing what the readers are reading.

Read something at least once a month. Make time to see what’s happening around you.

I try to read something new once a month, if it’s not a book, then it’s a magazine or excerpts of novels. I like to see what the publishers and readers are buying. It keeps me fresh.

One of the reason I like being a part of the CFBA is a chance to get introduced to new writers. If I wasn’t a part of the alliance, I probably would never hear about these books.

3 comments:

PatriciaW said...

I read nonstop. Literally. At best a few hours, maybe an evening, goes by before I start my next book. Escape, relaxation, entertainment, and now, as you said, to learn about writing.

To finish my manuscript, I'll need to decrease the reading a bit but most of my reading is during times when it would be difficult to write anyway so we'll see.

upwords said...

I am always reading. My purse always has at least one book. One a plane a few months ago, a lady leaned across the aisle and said, "What do you for a living? You've got all those books in your purse!" I was stunned. I was packing light that day. And how did she see in my purse? LOL

Shelia said...

I always carry a book in my purse (love paperbacks for that reason) so when I do have the time, I can just pull the book out. I usually read at night before going to bed to relax.