It's IWSG Day. The goal of this blog
hop is to share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without
fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can
offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all
kinds. IWSG is the brainchild of Alex
Cavanaugh, our brilliant ninja leader. The awesome co-hosts for the October
posting of the IWSG are Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Mary Aalgaard, Madeline Mora-Summonte, and Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor.
This month’s optional question: It's
been said that the benefits of becoming a writer who does not read is that all
your ideas are new and original. Everything you do is an extension of yourself,
instead of a mixture of you and another author. On the other hand, how can you
expect other people to want your writing, if you don't enjoy reading? What are
your thoughts?
This question brings to mind a
quote from Mark Twain:
There
is no such thing as a new idea. It is impossible. We simply take a lot of old
ideas and put them into a sort of mental kaleidoscope. We give them a turn and
they make new and curious combinations. We keep on turning and making new
combinations indefinitely; but they are the same old pieces of colored glass
that have been in use through all the ages.
I struggle to imagine a writer
who doesn’t enjoy reading. That said, I know some writers choose not to read while
they are in the middle of a project. More power to them, I suppose. But I can
say unequivocally that reading good writing was how I could become a writer, as
it taught me how successful writers formulate the stories I can’t put down. I read
all the time, even when working on a new writing project. Do I worry about
taking another writer’s ideas? No. Because my story is my story. It may have a
similar theme or formula as another book. Someone reading the result may
guess how it ends. But they’ll have no idea how I’ll get there. Per Mark
Twain, my kaleidoscope fragments are different from other writers. My writing
is based on all the influences in my life, what I know or have experienced, the combination of and impact of which remain unique to me.
In my mind, we all have the ability
to use our imaginations. Anyone can ask the question "What if?" but to write our own "What if?" variation well, we need know how to get our story on the
page in a way that’s readable, logical and intriguing. That means not only
knowing the “rules” of writing but also by reading to understand what works for
a reader and what doesn’t.
I’m with Stephen. I truly believe
that people who chose not to read and attempt to write are blocking themselves
from learning and growing. If,
while I’m reading, I encounter an unfamiliar style or one that surprises me,
then all the better, because it teaches me a different way to consider my own
tale. Would I have been able to get my own unique stories on the page in
a way that compels readers if I hadn’t read my brains out beforehand? No way, Jose! It would have been like writing
in a vacuum. I wouldn’t have had any idea what works.
What are your reading and writing habits?
