Thread: To read or not to read...that is the question......

Well, sort of. I'm having someone of a debate with myself. Although, I'm pretty sure that I know what the majority of responses will be...I'd like to throw this out there for anyone to comment on.

Ok, so here's the deal...I don't read a lot. Everytime I do a little research on writing and possibly having a writing career I always see some variation of this phrase "...if you read a lot, which if you're considering a career as a writer I'm assuming you do..." But I don't.

And the truth is, I've always been good at writing letters (serious or silly) or technical material, but I don't do much story writing. But I would really like to. I don't know, I guess I'm just worried that my lack of practice and lack of reading will be a major hinderance.

I know practice makes perfect...so I need to get my butt, or rather brain, in gear and start writing. But do you think the fact that I don't do much reading will be a big obstacle?

-Amy

"If you don't have the time to read, you don't have the tools to write" ~ Stephen King.

If you don't read, why the hell would you want to write? Because the money's so good?

Yowza....chill out a little. I didn't mean I don't ever read. I just don't read tons.

Well. By reading you get your tools for story writing. Also, you get to see what kind of ideas have already being used. You don't want to come up with a plot, write about it and then find out that it's the plot of a rather popular novel, right? And it's easier to develop and recognize your own style after some reading and researching. At least it works that way for myself.

It's no absolute rule. But reading is always good. You can always read more. Well not if you have problems with time, but then again if you don't have time to read you don't have time to write either...

Thanks, J.E.! I figured that reading would probably be an important part of the puzzle. Maybe it's just that I'm a little out of practice. I have one series of books that I read recently (which I'll not divulge for fear of being lynched LOL), it was the first time I'd read in quite some time. But it was a great experience. And watching an interview with the author opened my eyes to the fact that you can write a story anyway you want. I always thought (and I don't know why, because now it seems really silly) that you had to start at the beginning and work your way forward to the end. I never consider the idea that you could start in the middle and work your way out. But I digress.

So, does anyone have any book suggestions? I generally like mystery novels, or dramatic stories. I'm not into science fiction or fantasy...at least not for books (movies are another story!) I've been known to enjoy a romance novel or two in my time as well.

If you want mystery novels, you can't go far wrong with any of Jeffery Deaver's Lincoln Rhyme series. Michael Connelly is also one of the best mystery writers going, but he generally does it via cops and that kind of thing.

Thanks, Sam! That's a great idea. The Bone Collector is one of my favorite movies. I've start developing an interest in reading the books that movies are based on. Although that can ruin the movie for me sometimes. LOL Once I read Misery (one of the few Stephen King novels I've read) I couldn't watch the movie. There was just no comparison.

I could not write if I never read.

A movie very seldom compares to the novel. The Bone Collector (novel) is a million times better than its movie adaptation. I'd advise starting with that one. Riveting, page-turning stuff. Be forewarned: There's a lot of forensic techniques and prose, but don't let that put you off. If you can get past those, the story is a cracking read.

One of the best mystery/thriller/action-adventure books I've ever read, though, was Allan Folsom's The Day after Tomorrow. No, not that crap about the weather. This is as page-turning a book as you will ever pick up. There's only one other book which I've read in the last decade which even comes close to it: Blackout by John J. Nance. Both are must-buys if you're into that kind of thing. Trust me, you won't be disappointed.

Originally Posted by InfAMY at my fingertips

Yowza....chill out a little. I didn't mean I don't ever read. I just don't read tons.

Third post is telling people what to do. This should be fun.

I'm blind but want to be a painter, deaf but want to be a musician.

Sure, that works.
I mean, sorry to respond to your question and all.

Mozart went deaf.

Mozart too? I thought it was Beethoven.

It was Beethoven.
And he went deaf after a career. He didn't start out deaf and try to be a musician.


Duh.

There is another thread for pointless posts.

Oh be nice, Lin.

Infamy, I don't read anywhere near as much as I should or would like to. But I endeavour to try.

Making the time is really important, and if you're coming off a reading high having read the series, then don't let that go.
You'll learn a lot, even on a subconscious level, from reading.

I could never write a short story before I started loitering around here, reading short work, getting into the short fiction greats.
Now I'm trying to write a novel so I'm reading novels.