How does what I read affect what I write? What do I consistently pick up and what do I leave on the shelf? How would my writing change if I read other genres?
Books have been in my hand since I was a small child. Some of my earliest memories are listening to my parents read books aloud to me and my sisters. We loved Beverly Clearly and some of the classics, like Heidi and Wizard of Oz. I even raised the most money for an MS Read-a-thon when I was in elementary school. I know that I surprised a number of adults with how much money I asked for, as they'd pledged a certain amount of money per minute read in a week. :P
The fantasy and science fiction books I read, most assuredly, impacted what I wanted to write. As my favourite stories had elements of space or the fantastical, I wanted to include those same things in my stories. When I read as a child and a teenager, I went into the world of my books to escape, to imagine and to immerse myself in strange and wondrous new places.
I think what I read fuels my desire to do better in my own writing. Reading excellent books in my chosen genres allows me to see what works, what keeps me turning pages and what makes my heart race in a tense scene or swoon at a wonderfully romantic line. And I'm constantly looking for that next book that makes me stay up to all hours of the night.
As an adult reading is even more of an escape for me now. If I choose a novel it is either romance, fantasy or science fiction. I'm not at all drawn to literary, and the one and only time I started reading a horror novel I had to put it down (didn't know it was horror when I picked it up) - The Only YA Novel I Didn't Finish. The reason why? See: Why Being An Anne is Both Exciting and Horrifying. I think what you read is a reflection of your personality, but if you are a writer it's an insight into what you enjoy writing. I'm drawn to the books I'd love to have written myself.
If I ever did write horror, I think it'd be a miserable failure, I'd scare myself too bad and then never finish the manuscript.
Suffice it to say at this point I only plan on writing fantasy, science fiction, or romance. But as those are genres I love and will always love, I'm totally good. :D
Cheers!
I agree with you 100% that reading is an escape. So is writing. I was so emotionally spent after writing each day I felt like I had been through what my character had. If you've read a sample of Yassa you'll know what I mean. I felt the loss and utter helplessness when Borte was stolen from her new husband, felt his anger when he retalliated, and felt his misery when he discovered she'd been sold to another man. It was heartwrenching. Do your tales do that to you? When you write pov, do you feel what they do or can you keeps arm's length? WRITE ON!
ReplyDeleteHaven't had a chance to read a sample of Yassa yet Jo, (in the middle of a move) but I definitely will. As for my characters if it's an especially poignant scene, yes I tend to feel with them. More so if it's 1st person. I had tears in my eyes as I wrote a particular scene in Lasera. Those are the days when you most assuredly can't meet your writing quota cause you've totally burned out on the scene(s) you have written. :D Thanks for the comment!
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