"If you don't read, you can't write" - said somebody famous. In this entry I will discuss why every writer needs to read, including pros and cons; with examples from my own practice.
WHY WOULDN'T YOU READ? That's the real question. Reading is sacrosanct. It is joy, sadness, fear, love wrapped in a cosy parcel. Books are a boundless meadow for the imagination to roam. They are the source of enlightenment. Anyone who doesn't read is probably very boring. I'm writing this as a slight hypocrite, for I haven't read a novel for a while. In my defence, I've been working on my own. But reading! C'mon, just do it. Or would you rather watch cranial matter seep from your ears as your brain becomes soup?
Reading for writing is important for many reasons. Too many for me to be able to remember them all. So, here's a few:
Inspiration - reading will present you with ideas: storylines, character and genre tropes, phrasings that you can steal (I mean, become inspired by), characterisation, tone, the list goes on.
Education - similarly, reading will educate you. This is particularly important if you need to research a topic - I didn't start writing about 1960s San Francisco or Japanese American Incarceration without research. Reading fiction will also educate, as you are learning the structure of a novel, the style of writing, the research that those authors have selected to write about.
Escapism - working on the same project for years (as I have with The Falling Sun), you can become desensitised to your own writing. This can lead to self-doubt - you begin to fear that you've wasted your time, because the same jokes or moments of grief don't land - or you miss flaws because you know the story inside out, but it might not be clear to potential readers. Putting the manuscript down and reading something else allows for a fresh perspective when you return. You might even learn something.
CONS - all you non-readers will jump for joy in hearing that there are some pitfalls to avoid when reading; you'll declare yourself victory (then again, you will not be reading this.) But alas, there ARE some pitfalls to avoid when reading and writing simultaneously.
FOR EXAMPLE: last year, I was reading the brilliant Wolf Hall by the late Hilary Mantel. For those who don't know, the book follows the life of Thomas Cromwell, from his days as a rapscallion to Henry's secondhand man. It's written in the present tense. At the same time, I was writing The Falling Sun. I had to postpone the reading because I found that I had absorbed Hilary Mantel's style and ended up writing The Falling Sun in present tense. That is the glory of reading: whatever you read at the time of writing will influence your work. Which is why I recommend reading something in your genre. You can also diversify this depending on the section you wish to write. The latter stages of The Falling Sun depicts a brawl between two farmhands (spoilers!) I actually read a The Walking Dead novel by Jay Bonansigna, because it was full of visceral action, which I wanted to portray the brutality of these farmers.
The other problem is that I pretty much only read classics (with the exception of Ken Follett.) I prefer the writing style of early twentieth century and nineteenth century works. The issue being that this style is outdated. I have had to adapt the various The Falling Sun drafts to quash much of the Dickens I consume. Everybody has a unique writing style, that's natural. But mine is very niche.
In conclusion, read first, write later. You will find it much easier to put words onto that blank page. Nevertheless, be cautious of absorbing another's writing style. Use this to your advantage, but don't get stuck in the nineteenth century.
Here's to reading!
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