CINDY SKAGGS
  • Home
  • Book Series
  • Journals
    • The Lucky Ones
  • Writing Resources
    • Creative Writing 101
    • Creative Writing 102
    • CNF Resources
  • Newsletter
    • Privacy Policy >
      • Cookies Policy
  • Speaking
  • About
  • Residency Resources

The Write Place ...          

A book by any other name...

8/29/2018

0 Comments

 
Picture
Reading as a writer changes us, both as writers and readers. When I first started writing (but a decade before I was published), I would read and re-read my favorite author to try to get a feel for her rhythm in pacing, sentence length, paragraph length, and chapter length, but the reading and re-reading wasn't active enough, so I started typing out the first 3 chapters of her book to try to get a sense of her pacing at the opening of a novel. Since I'm a fast typist, I started to get an intuitive feel for her natural patterns. She was an historical writer, and at the time I thought that's where my interest lay, and it helped me in big ways and small. I still have a natural feel for chapter length, scene length, and how to start a book.

What I was doing wasn't mimicry, but more like a painter who learns the brush strokes and techniques of a master painter before s/he is ready to paint her/his own masterpiece.

When I went into my MFA program, we had to read and write a critical response on THREE books each month (for two years). At the time, I was so exhausted, I didn't see what I was learning until it was over, but it taught me to read critically and in such a way that it's hard to turn off. I honestly don't want to read every text critically. Sometimes, I want to shut off the writer-mode and enjoy a good book in the same way I enjoy Rom-Com and Action Adventure movies. I just want to enjoy them for what they are. They're not critically acclaimed think pieces, but they give me some much needed laughter and relief from life stresses.

Years after I started the writing process, I finally acknowledged that I wasn't an historical writer. I wanted to be, and I still enjoy reading them, but I don't have the right voice and tone for historical, and it took years of trial and error to find my true genre home. I still read widely, as I did when I worked for the library, in nearly every genre (except horror...because I would never sleep if I did). When I've gone through several disappointing "new" books, I often turn to my favorite authors and re-read novels that I enjoyed, but when I'm  reading them for the second time, that little writer voice in my head comes out and starts intruding on my reading time. I catch myself mentally editing, or noticing that particular writer's tic. And it dampens my reading pleasure.

I've learned my writing craft--honed my writer's toolkit--by reading and re-reading books and passages, but when it comes time to simply read, I often have to find a new book so I can read purely for enjoyment. Eventually, I'll get around to thinking about the book as a writer, but sometimes, a writer simply needs to turn off the criticism and enjoy the book for what it is.
In what ways has reading as a writer changed you as a writer? As a reader? And is that a good thing, or bad?

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Writer, college professor, lover of story, fan of all things bookish. Plus chocolate, because who doesn't love chocolate.



    Archives

    August 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    December 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    September 2017
    August 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    July 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016

    Categories

    All
    21st Century Writers
    Book Talk
    Money Talk
    Motivation
    Nanowrimo
    On Writing
    Plotting
    Resources
    TheProfessorIsIn
    ThePublishingBusiness
    Writer
    WritersOfInfluence
    WriterWednesday
    Writing
    Writing Craft

    RSS Feed

© Cindy Skaggs 2015-2022

​Site uses affiliate links
Photo used under Creative Commons from Lets Go Out Bournemouth and Poole
  • Home
  • Book Series
  • Journals
    • The Lucky Ones
  • Writing Resources
    • Creative Writing 101
    • Creative Writing 102
    • CNF Resources
  • Newsletter
    • Privacy Policy >
      • Cookies Policy
  • Speaking
  • About
  • Residency Resources