Civilian Reader Asks: “Should You Read What You Write?”
Civilian Reader is one of the blogs I have been following of recent times—you will find the link in the side bar. It’s newish on the books and genre scene, but then again, so am I… So it seemed suitably serendipitous to answer the Civilian’s call for guest posts on “Should You Read What You Write?”
Nor was I alone—writers as diverse as Gail Carriger, Mark Lawrence, Anne Lyle, and Jon Courtenay-Grimwood, amongst others, have all weighed in.
It would appear though, that I was alone in interpreting the question as: “Should You Read What You (Literally) Write?” as opposed to: “Should You Read What (/in the Genre That) You Write?” But hey, different drums and all that! 😉
Anyway, I think the responses are really interesting and well worth a read, right Here.
But in terms of what I “would” have said, if only I had gone for the second interpretation of da question, I did have a go via a series of tweets, as follows:
- ‘Read everything. Read like there’s no tomorrow-& watch films!’
- For me,it’s about embracing story in all it’s forms, so tv shows come in too & also music–total immersion…
- …It’s that bigger idea of the ‘verse of storytelling, the what-ifs the different tales told—and ways/means of telling ’em—can spark.
So I “think” that’s a decided “yes” to reading, not only in your genre, but way beyond, perhaps even as far out as the galactic rim… (Babylon 5 ref. ;-))
:chuckle:
A Babylon 5 reference is always welcome!
And yes, your tagline is a “lover of story”, so totally unsurprised by this answer, helen!
“Love” Bab5–in part becasue it isn’t just episodic but tells a bigger story.
And for me, it’s always all about story.
Writers are readers. We read everything. We cannot help it. Should read our genre and others ‘alien’ to us. Crosspollination is good. Yes. Yes. Yeeessss
I think we’re absolutely on the same page here, Molly.
Yes yes yes! Reading everything! From abstruse Icelandic epics to the latest popular craze to Henry James to beatnik poetry! The only way to keep a mind elastic…
Yes indeed-y! 🙂
“…to the latest popular craze to…” Shall I take it you’re currently reading ‘Shades of Grey’ then? 😉