What happens when a writer prefers reading to writing?

Posted byLucciaGrayPosted inMy Writing ProcessTags:, , , , ,

It’s the first Wednesday of March!

Time to blog hop with The Insecure Writer’s Support Group! 

 

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What happens when a writer prefers reading to writing?

I’m a writer, but before being a writer, I was a reader.

I’m still a reader. In fact, I think I’ll always prefer reading to writing.

I blame my kindle app, which I have downloaded onto my three devices. I always carry all my books with me. I’ve even read entire books on my smart phone, if no other device was available to me at the time.

I prefer the app to the Kindle device because I don’t like the pixellated page turns. The app on my devices is great, the page turns smoothly, and I can choose font size, brightness, and background colour. I love sepia, it’s so kind to my eyes. I can go backwards or forwards easily, look up or highlight words, and even make comments, quickly and easily.

It is undoubtedly my most valuable possession, although the app itself is free, and the books are very cheap and plentiful. I have always loved reading, and now it’s just so easy, quick, and cheap. I can buy any book with a click and start reading comfortably wherever I am immediately. It’s heaven!

When people tell me they haven’t got a Kindle, the app, or that they don’t read ebooks, I feel so sorry for them. They’re missing out on so much pleasure! Most of the self-published or Indie books I’ve read have been just as good as books published by publishing houses. I have come across a few I didn’t enjoy, or were in need of serious editing, but they are a very small percentage.

There are few surprises. I read the burb, some comments, and then ‘Look Inside’ and that’s enough for me to know whether I’ll like it or not. I’ve been misled only very rarely. Basically, I know what I’m buying. It’s what I like to read, and want to read, and it usually costs between nothing and the price of a tall latte, for hours of pleasure!

I travel in time and space, see places, meet people, and experience emotions beyond my real life, almost every day.

Just in case you were wondering, I also read and carry paperbacks, too, especially if I’m going away for the weekend for example, just in case I might need the feel of paper… but I read 90% on my kindle, and that’s not going to change soon.

My only complaint is that there aren’t enough minutes in the day to read all the books I have on my kindle! I’m convinced reading helps me be a better writer and a happier person, but all that glitters is not gold…

To answer my initial question: What happens when a writer prefers reading to writing?

  1. Reading distracts me from my writing. Sounds like a bad thing, but sometimes I need to set my writing aside, breathe, and read something different. I’m also convinced every book I read teaches me something about the craft.
  2. Reading also humbles me. There are so many great books out there to read, why would anyone want to read mine? I’m just a drop in the ocean.

Oh dear 😦 I’ve just finished a great book. I’m happy :), but now I feel so insecure:(  

Check out what other writers have to say today!

Published by LucciaGray

Writer, blogger, teacher, reader and lover of words wherever they are. Author of The Eyre Hall Trilogy, the breathtaking sequel to Jane Eyre. Luccia lives in sunny Spain, but her heart's in Victorian London.

29 thoughts on “What happens when a writer prefers reading to writing?”

  2. Agree about the advantages of the Kindle app for reading, and the apparent infinite number of books it will store, but I too like to hold a book in my hand and turn the pages. Also agree about the quality of the majority of Indie e-published books, but as an Indie author-publisher I would wouldn’t I, which brings me to an app to lengthen the day. Between writing, publishing, then promoting, I despair some days not finding time to read.

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    1. Sounds like an ideal life: writing, publishing, and reading! (Not so much promoting, although parts of it like blogging and social networks are fun!) Thank you for dropping by and commenting 🙂

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  4. You write so well, that is one thing not to be insecure about. Like you I’m big on kindle even though I still love real paper. Writing takes away reading time but right now (or write now) I prefer that.

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  5. I definitely prefer reading over writing and it certainly gets in the way of my writing. My writing has also taken some of the pleasure out of reading. I can’t help but critique character development and plot now.

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  6. I think you have to read to be a good writer. So, keep at it. When I read, I learn stuff. I became better at scene setting after reading The Great Gatsby and anything by Stephen King. I became better at building tension after reading some suspense novels. I read for fun, but am happy when I can pick up on something that makes me a better writer.

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  7. Like you, I was a reader first. But now that I don’t have the time to read like I did when I was younger, I appreciate the time to read more. As well as, more and more, I view reading as something beneficial to my writing. In that, although I’m not writing, by reading the craftsmanship of a good book, I’m learning more about the craft that I can then apply to my own writing, after I reach the end.

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    1. I agree! I’d add that I believe I also learn from ‘not so good’ books about what not to do or what could be done more effectively. Thank you for reading and commenting 🙂

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  10. Hi Luccia! Good post – and I am in constant conflict with reading and writing. I was a reader long before I was a writer and I love being taken away for a while! But I have to admit the joy of a new character, a story line developing out of seemingly nowhere is becoming a stronger attraction. In need the satisfaction of my own creativity!

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  12. Funny you say that reading distracts you. I find that 70% of the time, it inspires me. I have my story in the background, and I mean constantly, even when I don’t notice it, it is ticking away in silence, waiting for a trigger to come back to the surface. And very often, that trigger comes while I read!

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    1. What I meant was that reading distracts me from writing because it takes up too much if my time. When I read more, I write less, because my time is limited. But, of course, reading is what has inspired me to write in the first place. Thank you for dropping by and commenting 🙂

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  13. I can really relate to this post. I love reading just as much as I do writing, and the tempting thing about choosing reading is not only in discovering a new story, but also in learning something more about the craft; because as you say, you learn something new from every book. I try to give myself a chapter or two to read a day, then visit my blog in the morning and evenings and fit writing somewhere inbetween that. Keep on writing your wonderful writing 🙂

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