“If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.”–Stephen King
If anyone can speak authoritatively on what’s required to be a writer, it’s prolific Stephen King. I found his book “On Writing” to be an enlightening mix of craft instruction and autobiography and I have admired his work since first sneaking a collection of his short stories from my parents’ bookshelf as an eight-year-old. I agree with his point on reading. Writers must read other books in their genre to understand what is working and why (and what isn’t). And, we need to read writers that we admire in order to push ourselves and elevate our own craft. Finding time, however, is a challenge. I don’t read when I am writing. I am too concerned about unconsciously adopting aspects of characters that I like or another author’s cadence. In between edits is when I devour books, particularly those in the genre of my upcoming novels so I have a sense of how my book will fit with and, most importantly, bring something new, to the cannon. I have a couple weeks until I get my new edit back and I am trying to read a book every other day. It’s been a fun week filled with great psychological thrillers. I’ve read The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena, Little Pretty Things by Lori Radar Day, The Good Girl by Mary Kubica, Summer House Swimming Pool by Herman Koch. Now onto The Girls by Emma Cline. When do you fit reading into your writing schedule?
