Comments on: So You Want to Write? Read.

By: Words on a page » Blog Archive » A few links for the end of the week - A blog about writing, in its various forms

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 10:37:16 +0000

[...] Do you really want to write? Then you should also read [...]

By: Erika Martinez

Erika Martinez — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 02:27:04 +0000

This is so true. Such a basic that people often overlook. Great post, Amy! Nice perspective.

By: Tony Noland

Tony Noland — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 19:54:11 +0000

I’ve always been a reader and I’ve always loved novels, but its only since I’ve been a writer that I’ve come to appreciate the mechanics behind the way a great book works. Being able to marvel at an especially deft plot twist enhances the enjoyment of the good ones. So does being able to spot the problem in a book that isn’t working, or isn’t working as well as it should.

By: Amy Willmer

Amy Willmer — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 17:23:08 +0000

Hi Faye, I think everybody gets that nagging voice of negativity sometimes – and often it’s this that makes us better writers. Obviously if self-doubt gets too overwhelming it can be inhibiting. But generally, a little keeps us striving to do better and can actually be quite healthy. Personally, I wouldn’t try to pigeon-hole yourself as a writer – just do what comes naturally and I’m sure everything else will follow. The main thing is you love it, so keep going and enjoy it!

By: Sunday Wash-Up 23rd August « Shack's Comings and Goings

Sunday Wash-Up 23rd August « Shack's Comings and Goings — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 22:00:38 +0000

[...] So You Want to Write? Read. Amy Willmer, takes pains to point out that it is not just what you read but how you read that feeds your writing skills. [...]

By: Faye Yolody

Faye Yolody — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 16:59:55 +0000

By reading this advice, it felt like a “bang” on my brain. Sometimes I wasn’t quite sensitive about the book I read, just only tried to process the words. I know that’s wrong.

I wrote for scenario and I haven’t decided yet about which type of writer I want to be. I also want to be a travel writer and a novelist. But I often lose my confidence on it and think ‘can I do this?”, “Is writing my dream?” Is that a normal situation for ‘not-a-girl-but-not-yet-a-woman like me, who is still creating the track? Anyway, I’m 22 years old.

Huff, do you have any idea to get rid of that bad thoughts? Sometimes, when I didn’t make a good writing, I felt I was the worst. One thing I’m sure, I love writing. :)

http://www.fayeyolody.blogspot.com

By: Mel Menzies

Mel Menzies — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 14:11:27 +0000

My mother used to banish my father’s books to the loft when I was a child – she thought they were merely collectors of dust! As an introvert, I never felt I fitted in with my extrovert family, so the loft was a natural place to escape. My father had already instilled in me a love of reading – from The Selfish Giant to Enid Blyton. That passion for words never left me and, by the time I was 14, I had my first rejection slip for a piece of written work.

Since then, I’ve had a number of books published and numerous articles. I’m still reading and still writing. I can’t think of a better passion.

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Sat, 22 Aug 2009 03:32:18 +0000

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By: Lorraine

Lorraine — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 02:51:24 +0000

Thanks for the reminder that reading is “nourishment” for writers.

Because I write commercial copy that relies heavily on marketing tactics and media-specific structure, I forget how truly nourishing it is too read wonderful literature.

Recently I’ve been reading The Sword and the Stone with my son. The author’s narrative digressions are a delight after a daily diet of bytes, bits and bullets.

By: Dan Denney

Dan Denney — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 16:28:24 +0000

This is excellent advice. I am much more used to visual arts where it is easy to highlight things that attract your attention or that turn you away.

Taking notes on portions of the text is an excellent way to learn!

By: Corey Freeman

Corey Freeman — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 13:48:58 +0000

I’m always telling people to read, read, and read some more! It’s true that no matter what you read, the more you do, the more you’ll have a grasp on spelling, grammar, sentence structure, literary techniques, and so much more!

I’m not one for taking notes in books, but I often find that when I’m reading, I’ll relate some of the events in the book to events in my own life to understand them better. I think learning how to relate to novels is an important step in developing your own personal voice and style as well as understanding the author more.