Reader “Or” Writer…
A funny thing happened on the internet recently: someone asked me whether I was “a reader or a writer?”
My immediate response was: “Both!” (Of course.)
Next, I tried to get my head around whether it was even possible to be a writer without also being a reader. I feel quite sure that my love of writing arose out of my love of reading and fascination for story. The impetus to write also made its presence felt very early: I loved reading other people’s stories and wanted to emulate their magic and write my own. Although it would probably be fair to say that the stories came and the writing part was just giving effect to them….
I also suspect that reading or some other form of immersion in story is necessary to be a writer because unconsciously we’re always absorbing the various (or infinite) permutations on what story can be, as well as the craft of storytelling. Writers often consciously take note of writing craft as well, when reading—although I find if I’m absorbed by a story I won’t focus on craft aspects until a second or third reading. I like it that way, because for me reading is—always!—primarily about pleasure.
I am also a reader who deeply appreciates not only plot and characters and subtext, but also the style of a writer’s prose. I tend to be drawn to writing that has a rhythm and flow to it, and also beautiful expression—but I can also deeply appreciate a spare style, especially where it is core to what makes the story work.
As a writer, of course, prose style and use of language is critical to writing effectively, so reading widely to familiarize oneself with the “what” and “how” of other approaches really is essential.
So my conclusion, having pondered, is that although it is possible to be a reader without ever writing, I cannot see how one could hope to write and not be reader as well.
Although I think perhaps British poet, Peter Sansom, said it best when he wrote:
“You are writing in the dark if you read no one but yourself. And in the dark, you can’t even read yourself properly.”
— from Writing Poems (Bloodaxe, 1994)
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To write well, one must read, and widely 🙂
We concur. 😉