Published but still reading?

Anonymisty · Aug 2, 2006

I'm curious. Does anyone think that a successful novelist should stop reading, especially within the genre? I was recently told that it's too dangerous, because people would be looking for comparisons so they could make accusations of plagiarism. I had never heard such a thing before, so it blew my mind.

Personally, I have to think that reading, especially within my genre, is the only way to know what's been done and what worked. And I know that even if I became the next Steven King, I'd still read. I just can't give up books. But maybe I'm being naive. What do you folks think?

Cat Scratch · Aug 2, 2006

I don't think writers should EVER stop reading.

Starbrazer · Aug 2, 2006

Don't give up on reading. I would suggest reading whatever you want, fiction and nonfiction. Keep your senses sharp, and forget that nonsense.

cree · Aug 2, 2006

Published Writer Who Stops Reading = Stupid Published Writer.

Cat Scratch · Aug 2, 2006

I would also think that staying well-read in your genre would keep you on your toes, so that your material is always fresh. An already-published writer would look foolish releasing a book that is just like another one, coincidence or no.

Penguin Queen · Aug 2, 2006

Cat Scratch said:
I don't think writers should EVER stop reading.

Ditto. It would be like a chef who stopped eating.

Anonymisty · Aug 2, 2006

Cat Scratch said:
I would also think that staying well-read in your genre would keep you on your toes, so that your material is always fresh.

I agree. I can almost see a bit of logic in it, since all the hoopla over the girl who ripped off Megan McCafferty earlier this year. She claimed she'd "internalized" McCafferty's work, and didn't plagiarize on purpose.

Even so, I can't see giving up on the reading altogether. Not only is it the best market research available to writers, I'd go mad if I couldn't read. *grin*

bsolah · Aug 2, 2006

If any published writer stops reading, they better quit writing too because what comes out of them will likely be crap.

Cat Scratch · Aug 2, 2006

(Searching for joke using both "out of you" and "crap." ...can't find... brain slowly melting... I must be off my game today.)

emsuniverse · Aug 2, 2006

NEver stop reading. Ever.

emeraldcite · Aug 2, 2006

I agree. I can almost see a bit of logic in it, since all the hoopla over the girl who ripped off Megan McCafferty earlier this year. She claimed she'd "internalized" McCafferty's work, and didn't plagiarize on purpose.

No, she's doing what every kid does when they get caught cheating: they make up an excuse.

The big one I always hear is this: "How am I supposed to summarize this without using their own words?"

Well, that's why you practice and learn to use your own words.

Never, ever, ever, ever stop reading. Go read authors' blogs. They always talk about the books they're reading.

You always learn from what you read.

nevada · Aug 2, 2006

yeah, she internalized it almost word for word. What a coincidence.

I will say that I have a hard time to read a book just for enjoyment. I try and try and I can't do it. Last book I read I had serious issues with the author's choice of POV. The book is almost over but she threw in a scene, just one, from a new POV. Totally frustrating. Drove me nuts. It's hard to read and analyze at the same time.

maestrowork · Aug 2, 2006

Heck no. I read more. I know Stephen King reads like 100 books (mostly novels) a year.

As for plagiarism... don't think so. As for comparison... well, you can't be TOO original anyway when there are hundreds of thousands of novels out there. As for copying someone else's style -- not really. I have my own style, thank you very much.

Besides, a good idea is a good idea and may spawn other good ideas. If you read a good book, you may find nuggets of good ideas from it for your next story -- nothing's wrong with that, as long as it's not the same story.

blackbird · Aug 2, 2006

No way. Reading is what made me WANT to become a writer in the first place.

Liam Jackson · Aug 2, 2006

I'm in the "never, ever stop reading" camp. However, I have become really selective in reading/critiquing unpublished manuscripts. Call me paranoid, but there ya' go. (Yes, there's a story behind that, but we'll save it for another day.

)

maestrowork · Aug 2, 2006

Yes on unpublished mss. Many agents actually ask their clients NOT to read unpublished mss., even from friends and families.

Snitchcat · Aug 2, 2006

For me, reading is akin to breathing -- can't live without both. And reading is what keeps me updated on what's on the market.

Regardless of published or not, you should continue reading. But what you read is up to you.

Personally, I don't read unpublished stuff, but I may crit it -- ideas from the the work I crit don't make it into my work; it's just something that doesn't happen for me.

Liam Jackson · Aug 2, 2006

Snitchcat said:
For me, reading is akin to breathing -- can't live without both. And reading is what keeps me updated on what's on the market.

Regardless of published or not, you should continue reading. But what you read is up to you.

Personally, I don't read unpublished stuff, but I may crit it -- ideas from the the work I crit don't make it into my work; it's just something that doesn't happen for me.

{emphasis above, mine}
Ideas creeping into your work isn't the problem. We live in the most litigation-happy country on the planet, and the rest of the world isn't far behind. Opportunities for false or frivolous allegations are near endless. I was advised by a publishing old timer to limit that particular window of opportunity by avoiding courtesy reads of unpublished works. It seemed sound advice at the time, and still does. Of course, you could probably find any number of equally qualified old timers who say such precautions are unnecessary.

To each his own.

Jamesaritchie · Aug 3, 2006

reading

Anonymisty said:
I'm curious. Does anyone think that a successful novelist should stop reading, especially within the genre? I was recently told that it's too dangerous, because people would be looking for comparisons so they could make accusations of plagiarism. I had never heard such a thing before, so it blew my mind.

Personally, I have to think that reading, especially within my genre, is the only way to know what's been done and what worked. And I know that even if I became the next Steven King, I'd still read. I just can't give up books. But maybe I'm being naive. What do you folks think?

As King says, "If you don't have the time to read, you don't have the tools to write."

I've heard wannabe fictions writers say they never read when they're writing, and it's moronic. If you're a real writer, this would mean you would never again read another novel. Stupid.

However told you it was too dangerous to read is a first rate, one of a kind idiot.

You should be spending at least as much time reading as you do writing. Forever. You shuld read inside and outside your genre, widely and deeply. You should read every day.

No one plagiarizes accidentally. And no one who stops reading because they become successful has any sense.

As Mark Twain said, "A person who won't read has no advantage over one who can't read."

danielmc · Aug 3, 2006

Id rather give up writing than stop reading. End of, simple as.

I read an interview with Alex Garland (The Beach, The Tesseract) the other month, and he said that when he's writing, which for one of his novels takes over a year, that he doesn't read fiction full stop. Just non-fiction.

He hasn't done too badly, I think, so I guess its a case, like most things in writing, of what works for one may not work for another.

Jamesaritchie · Aug 3, 2006

reading

danielmc said:
Id rather give up writing than stop reading. End of, simple as.

I read an interview with Alex Garland (The Beach, The Tesseract) the other month, and he said that when he's writing, which for one of his novels takes over a year, that he doesn't read fiction full stop. Just non-fiction.

He hasn't done too badly, I think, so I guess its a case, like most things in writing, of what works for one may not work for another.

He's missed out on a year of reading, and how long does he wait before starting another book, in which case he stops reading for another year?,

He may not have done too badly, but he's still not reading, and that's just plain dumb, no matter how many books he sells.

Christine N. · Aug 3, 2006

Liam Jackson said:
[/b]

{emphasis above, mine}
Ideas creeping into your work isn't the problem. We live in the most litigation-happy country on the planet, and the rest of the world isn't far behind. Opportunities for false or frivolous allegations are near endless. I was advised by a publishing old timer to limit that particular window of opportunity by avoiding courtesy reads of unpublished works. It seemed sound advice at the time, and still does. Of course, you could probably find any number of equally qualified old timers who say such precautions are unnecessary.

To each his own.

The only unpublished stuff I read (besides slush) is when I beta read for my friends, and are happy to reciprocate. In that case I think you're ok. But I know many published writers who will NOT look at work from people they don't know, for that very reason - their lawyers have advised them not to.

Celia Cyanide · Aug 3, 2006

Jamesaritchie said:
He's missed out on a year of reading, and how long does he wait before starting another book, in which case he stops reading for another year?,

He may not have done too badly, but he's still not reading, and that's just plain dumb, no matter how many books he sells.

He did not miss out on a year of reading. He WAS reading the whole time. He was reading non-fiction. What's wrong with that? Fiction isn't superior to non-fiction.

bubblegirl · Aug 3, 2006

Apart from classic fiction, I really enjoy reading scripts from TV shows or movies. Buffy the Vampire Slayer, for example, was a great series and the transcripts show very strong characterisation in dialogue and action. Free transcripts are a great read because you can really look at the power of action and dialogue in telling the story. Show don't tell: the most powerful messages of all!

three seven · Aug 3, 2006

maestrowork said:
I know Stephen King reads like 100 books (mostly novels) a year.

Isn't two books a week taking things a bit far? Between sleeping, eating etc, how does he find time to write?

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