One of the most commonly given pieces of advice is that if you want to write well, then you must read a lot. There is this great quote from author Stephen King that reads, “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot. There’s no way around these two things that I’m aware of, no shortcut.” Reading really is the best way to learn how to craft an amazing book. Reading good books teaches you how to structure stunning plots, spin amazing twists, and breathe life into your characters, by seeing it all in action. However, while reading is a huge part of being a writer, it doesn’t necessarily mean that every writer likes to read at the same time as they are also writing.
For many of these writers, they don’t want the voices of the books they’re reading to influence their own writing. Or they don’t want to accidentally plagiarise someone else’s book. Some prefer not to read while they’re drafting so that they can keep their own plot front and centre in their mind, without getting it mixed up with the books that they’re reading. These are all very good reasons for not wanting to read while writing, and it’s certainly very much a personal preference as to whether you read and write simultaneously or keep the two as separate experiences.
For those of us who do like to read and write at the same time, I have found that there are a lot of good points to this practice. For example, reading books in a similar genre to the one you’re currently writing in can spark new ideas and provide great inspiration for your own story. Not in the way of stealing plots and characters from these books, but more in the way that you’re immersing your brain in the genre, which puts it in a place where it’s wired to pick up on the conventions and tropes of that genre. It becomes easier to generate ideas that actually suit the book and genre you’re working in.
Similarly, if you’re trying to go for a certain tone in your book, for example, you’re trying to write a snarky, humorous teen voice, and you’re struggling to nail it, reading books in a similar style can put your brain in the right space for it. Reading Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series taught me so much about writing with a humorous narrative voice, filled with attitude, heart, sarcasm and jokes. I certainly don’t write in the same style as him at all, but I always refer back to these books when I need a refresher on what it looks like, and to put myself in the space where I can think along the same vein and feeds my own writerly voice, without my outright copying it. The more I am surrounded by it, the easier it becomes to think that way myself.
There is also great value in reading books outside of the genre you write in. I know a lot of writers prefer to read outside of their own genres, because it allows them to read and fill their creative batteries, but still keep their reading and their writing a little separated in their minds. You can still be inspired by beautiful writing, or discover new techniques to incorporate into your own book, but without the risk of your own book becoming too similar to those you’re reading. I do my best writing immediately after experiencing great writing from someone else. Reading inspires me, and that inspiration translates onto the page in the most unexpected ways.
For me personally, reading and writing go hand in hand. I read, and then I write. I am inspired and then I try new things. I immerse myself in the books of others, and come out refreshed and recharged and ready to dive into a new session of my own writing. But at the same time, I can completely understand why others don’t like to read while they write. There is always that fear of imitation, or of losing your own voice as a writer because you’re immersed too deeply into someone else’s. And that makes me curious. Do you read while you’re writing? Why or why not? What are some reasons you’ve heard against reading other author’s books while you write your own?
