Last week we discussed
what you can do to distract yourself while you’re waiting for those submission
responses to come in. One invaluable activity that was not included in the list
was, of course, to read! When asked for advice about writing, it seems most
writers forget this crucial technique, but I suspect that is simply because it
is so obvious to us that we do not often remember to mention it.
If you’re a writer
of any level, one can assume that your reading pile is large and from time to
time can be neglected in favor of slaving over the latest project. Once you've
submitted your work, however, and have a minute to breathe, you should try to
knock a few of the most exciting tiles off the stack. Or if you’re caught up in
the middle of a piece and can’t seem to move past a tricky section, take a
moment to pick up a book that isn't your own. Reading, if anything, is one of the most
valuable things a writer can do, both during and after the process of writing.
Remember, there is
not a single person alive or dead who can teach you how to write. But an entire
library can teach you why you should
write and give you the tools to do so in short order. Reading expands our
minds, exercises our word databases, and shows us all the exciting techniques
that other writers have tried before. We can see what works and what doesn't
work, what characters sound true and which ones are mere caricatures. Our
brains take stories, feed them to our muses, and work them into something new.
Author Roz Morris
sums it up beautifully when she says that reading “develops your palate for all
the tricks that writers have invented over the years. You can learn from
textbooks about the writing craft, but there’s no substitute for discovering for
yourself how a writer pulls off a trick. Then that becomes part of your
experience.”
In the meantime,
reading is also a joyful experience. It can be difficult, if you prefer to
exercise your brain with content that is outside your comfort zone. Choosing a
book because you know it will be hard to understand is a lofty goal! Everyone
should try it sometime. But many books, especially the ones that are written
particularly well and exist inside your genre of interest, can be inhaled by an
avid reader. Reading after spending a great deal of time writing can feel like
coming up for air.
“Writing is often hell, but reading is almost always a
pleasure if you are discerning.” – Evan Maloney
Personally, I’m celebrating
my submission by attempting to kill two birds with one stone. I’m about halfway
through reading Orson Scott Card’s Xenocide
– the third book in a series I've been in love with for years now. Somehow I've
just never gotten around to reading the final two books. Part of this is just
for entertainment and for the sake of filling up “the word well.” But I also
have hope that some of the themes in Xenocide
will help me get through an outlining barrier in the novel I’m currently
planning. After I finish Xenocide, I
intend to polish off the science fiction anthology I've been chewing on and
then at long last read the legendary Good
Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman.
Just remember to
come back to the real world before too long. Libraries must be filled, and you’re
part of the solution! Once you've had a chance to recharge, hopefully you will
return with your mind buzzing and your heart full. Both make writing a lot
easier and a lot more fun.
No comments:
Post a Comment