How much do writers read?
I was a guest author on a mystery panel at a local library last week, and we were asked the question: How much do you read while you are writing a book,and do you worry that what you are reading will influence your writing?
I read constantly. I read before I go to sleep, while I eat lunch, in doctors' waiting rooms, while I brush my teeth (yes, I really do), and other odd moments throughout the day. And with the things that happen in my life, I have quite a few really odd moments.
But I don't worry that what I read will influence what I write in more than the most subtle ways. I learn from my reading, and am constantly motivated to write better because of what I read.
I don't understand people who say they don't have time to read. For me, reading is like breathing. Would I not have time to breathe? If I didn't read, how would I know how to write?
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About Kathleen
My novel The Gate House was re-released in May, 2012 by Whiskey Creek Press. I am currently working on a sequel to The Gate House, set during World War II as well as the present day. I find much inspiration for my writing when I...
I discovered the joy of
I discovered the joy of reading very late in life, about five years ago, in my early forties. Partly, because I learnt to allow myself the pleasure of reading for fun (and not just self-improvement) but also the permission not to finish a book if I really don't like it.
Do you start a new book as soon as you've finished reading one, or do you have a in-between books pause policy?
Reading
I start a new book right away. Well, maybe I wait until the next day. I am also just learning to not finish a book if I don't like it. I also often read two at once, one in book form and one on my Kindle, but that works best if one is non-fiction.