So what do you call a writer who doesn’t read?
At our house, we call it losing the plot thread.
There’s a reason my website has an entire section called Reading for Writers. When I get a manuscript from a non-reader, the frustration pounding in my skull recalls the exasperation of theoretical physicist Sabine Hossenfelder as she describes out-of-touch scientists. “My clients know so little about current research in physics, they aren’t even aware they’re in a foreign country. They have no clue how far they are from making themselves understood. Their ideas aren’t bad; they are raw versions of ideas that underlie established research programmes. But those who seek my advice lack the mathematical background to build anything interesting on their intuitions.
Fortunately, studying comp titles, immersing yourself in literature, and keeping up with new releases is as simple as a trip to your local library. Once you begin discovering everything that’s going on in books all around you, you’ll find more and more reasons to keep reading.
This week at The Writes of Fiction:
- What do you call a writer who doesn’t read?
- Ten truths for writers about feedback
- How three rounds of critique and beta reading help one author revise
- Story not working? Six problems to troubleshoot
Understanding how stories work changes everything. I’ll show you how to back up your creative instincts so your ideas hit home. Ready to get serious about your book? Apply to work with me.