I spend more time reading than I do writing. Is this a problem? I am in a place where I am able to make writing the focus of my life right now. Focusing on short stories and essays, I tend to write a new piece at least once a month. I don't write every day, but I do write often. However, I do read every day. I do think the more I read the better my writing comes off. But the more I write, the better my writing is also. Have you guys found a good balance between reading and writing?
Reading and writing
- Thread starter gettingby
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The good (horrible?) thing about writing is it can take one person 5 minutes to get the words right, and take another person 5 hours to get the words right. It's about quality, not volume. Set a goal of how much you want to write each day, and stick with that. 
I don't think it's about more of one and less of the other, it's about enough of each. Reading and writing should both be about pleasure. If you don't enjoy either, what's the point?
But I disagree with etherme to a degree. Writing is about quality, but without a certain amount of volume, quality is meaningless. Unless you finish your stories, how good the partials are won't matter. Use your time wisely, and get plenty of both done.
But I disagree with etherme to a degree. Writing is about quality, but without a certain amount of volume, quality is meaningless. Unless you finish your stories, how good the partials are won't matter. Use your time wisely, and get plenty of both done.
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My writing to reading ratio in terms of hours spent is probably 3:1. Maybe closer to 2:1 at times. I wish I could do more of both, but I don't think I would change the balance much. That's just me.
I think the most important thing is to do both regularly. If I were you, seeing as how you seem to have a decent amount of time to devote to this, I would probably write more. But it depends on what your writing goals are.
I think the most important thing is to do both regularly. If I were you, seeing as how you seem to have a decent amount of time to devote to this, I would probably write more. But it depends on what your writing goals are.
I do enjoy both reading and writing very much. I wouldn't be spending the majority of my time doing both if that was not the case. I do have days when I am so into what I am reading that I don't even think about writing. Whenever I get stuck on something I'm writing, I turn to reading. Sometimes I feel like I am a reading major rather than a writing major.
I must be an outlier. Before I got published I read least a book a week. Now, since I got published, haven't touched a book for fun in seven years, other than to beta read drafts from other authors. Between promotion and generating new releases, just not enough time in the day. Maybe it's time I take a break from the keyboard for awhile.
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