As a passionate writer and reader (and a teacher of English, also known as writing and reading), I find the connection between the two to be fascinating. It's all about words, about language, about story, and it occurs to me how valuable the written word has been to me throughout my life.
I have a confession to make. My English classes have fifteen minutes of free book choice silent reading three days a week, and I have been known to at times work on writing my current novel-in-progress in lieu of reading. The fact that my kids get this tells me that they understand the relationship between reading and writing; the line dividing the two is blurry, to say the least. I try not to do this, though--modeling good reading habits is extremely important to me as a teacher (and my current at-school book is Sara Gruen's Water for Elephants, which I absolutely can't put down, so any potential writing I might get done at school is on hold for awhile).
My brother Adam is an extremely talented writer. His potential is limitless, but he never developed a passion for writing the way that I did. He won a schoolwide Young Author award as a fifth-grader, a feat I never accomplished (although I usually got honorable mentions), and the pieces he did for some of his college coursework were just breathtaking. However, writing never became part of his life the way it has for me, a daily act basically as necessary as breathing.
Adam does not read. Well, let me rephrase that--Adam does not like to read. At least, Adam does not like to read fiction. He enjoys sports magazines, biographies, and encyclopedias (yes, I'm serious ... please don't ask), but he reads slowly and never made reading an integral part of his day. The fact that his strongest writing pieces are fiction (and generally in the fantasy genre) is just fascinating to me.
My brother is proof that you can be a strong writer without being a strong reader. I have students that are much the same (amazing writers, apathetic readers) as well as the opposite--those that are extremely strong readers but who profess to being unable to write.
Having never been anything but a voracious reader (and a nearly obsessive writer), I find that I'm quite curious to hear your input on this. Sometimes I think it's hardest to look with an unjaundiced eye at something near and dear to your own heart.
How important is one's life as a reader to his or her life as a writer? Can you be a truly committed writer without being, at least on some level, a strong reader as well? Do you think being a writer enhances your life as a reader?
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I've been a voracious reader since age 12. I've been a writer (blogger) since last October. I'd never written anything before, other than school papers, but I enjoy this. If I had to choose one over the other, though, I'd chose reading. It's a vital form of relaxation for me. Writing a post for my blog can (sometimes) be challenging.
ReplyDeleteAs an aside, a brother is a very talented cartoonist. He doodles on anything he can get his hands on, but he says that if he had to do it 9-5, he'd lose his passion for it.
As someone who feels "off" if she doesn't read something throughout the day -- I think your brother is probably the exception and not the rule. I've noticed that those who claim to read little but write have problems with sentence structure, spelling, grammar, usage, tense... all of the things that are naturally picked up through extensive reading.
ReplyDeleteAnd well, he does read and would pick up those things from the genres you mentioned that he does read. I've heard of other writers writing in genres they don't read in, which I find very interesting.
Words are air and food for me. I think commitment to writing depends on more than just reading a lot. Discipline would be a key thing as well. Reading enhances my creativity--both by providing inspiration, and providing down time for my brain.
ReplyDeleteIn general, I think that most writers tend to be good readers.
I don't think you can tell stories without having the seeds of other stories planted in your mind.
ReplyDeleteThat's really strange. I've never heard of a good writer who didn't like to read, although there are plenty of the other way around. I think the correlation is strong, but clearly, it's not necessary. I would suggest if you WANTED to be a good writer, reading is an important step. It's like learning to ride a two-wheeler bike without having training wheels. I'm sure it's possible to do it, it would just be a lot easier to use training wheels first.
ReplyDeleteExcept reading isn't really like training wheels, because you continue to do it forever...I couldn't think of a better metaphor. :-)
I think the two go hand in hand. The only way to be a good writer is to read good writing. :-)
ReplyDeleteI know for me, to become a better poet, I feel I must read as many different poets as I can. And I started reading poetry before I ever started writing any...
ReplyDeleteI do feel there is an important connection between writing and reading- the generations of writers and readers before us can attest to this!
Great post. I used to be a really avid reader, always working through one book or another. I have found it difficult lately however, to find a book I really get into. Sure, I have read a couple really good books lately, but for the most part, I haven't become "lost" in a book for some time. I do think there's an important connection between reading and writing though, which may explain my difficulty with my muse too. Hmm, something to think about.
ReplyDeleteFascinating post, KLo. I'm intrigued by the case of your brother. I can't read enough and I find that reading and writing are integrally tied for my own process. Did Adam play D&D or any other imaginative games? What made him want to write fantasy if he wasn't reading it?
ReplyDeleteI don't read or write as much as I'd like to. 1 B.E. per week is my 'small lady with a child' (minimum), but as my schedule eases up next week, I will have more time to read and write.
ReplyDeleteI call it passion for the written word, or books, for that matter. You must have that to be a writer. You must love books with devotion. Why otherwise would you need to create new ones?
ReplyDeleteI think it's very important to read what you write, but has writing made me a better reader? I don't think so. I just read for entertainment's sake mostly and don't analyze every word on the page. Maybe I should...
ReplyDeleteWith music, once I'd learned the theory behind it, I actually found the listening more enjoyable, but I know for many it had the opposite affect. They couldn't sit down and listen to Beethoven without picking apart chord structure, key and time signatures and intervals. It took the enjoyment away. Too bad! I wonder if it's the same for writing.
I can't imagine being where I am in my writing journey without all the books I've read along the way. Reading great books is what inspired me to be a writer--because I wanted to reach people the way books reached me. I don't think you HAVE to be an avid reader in order to be a writer but I do feel it's beneficial. For writer's, reading other books is what helps them grown. As far as reading...I think being a writer has made me a more picky reader but also a more appreciative reader. When I come across something I love, I truly, truly appreciate it because I know what it must have taken for that author to get to that point.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the interesting question!
I enjoyed this post, and everyone's comments. For me, when I write fiction, it is like reading; I write to find out what will happen next. I don't think it's necessary to be in a "reading" mode at the same time you are in "writing" mode, but to go through intense periods of reading, is probably essential to being a writer. I read voraciously all through grade school and middle school, but since then, my periods of reading fiction have often been feast or famine.
ReplyDeleteI've been writing fiction for over fifteen years now, and I know the more I both write and read, the better writer I become, but it is different for everybody. I also realize, when I'm involved in a first draft and initial revisions, all I want to do is "read" my own story and I don't want to read anything else until after that scene or chapter or story is finished.
Thanks :)
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