A writer seriously can’t talk enough about the importance of reading. Just like an artist learns by studying the styles of the classical masters, a writer learns style and device from the timeless works of others. They do not have to be the classics many of us with more outlandish tastes chunked through in high school amidst much whining and groaning. Many of those were great, but a writer can gain knowledge from reading science fiction or fantasy classics too. Really any book you enjoy reading: ‘classic’, popular, or unheard of gems that you think are awesome.
We all enjoy reading just purely as an imagination ride, for escape, or amusement, or catharsis. But in addition, reading other people’s works provides me, as a writer, with three things: 1. Ideas in device and style that I can mimic, absorb, and then transform into my own unique voice. I love Ray Bradbury, his prose poetry, and it affected the way I used words. 2. An idea of what doesn’t work. We all learn what not to do from things we didn’t like, as much as from what we do, when we analyze why we didn’t like it. 3. An opening of paradigms and ideas to explore new worlds of thought and perspective. Reading books like the Dune series, Lord of the Rings, or the Hyperion series changed the way that I looked at things forever. They affected me as a human being, and therefore affected what I wrote about and how I thought of the stories I wanted to tell.
The most stark example of the effect of reading and reviewing is the Torah. Whenever it was written, or by whom, it has been argued over by countless rabbis, over countless bottles of wine, grape juice, and vodka for thousands of years. And many Jewish people, in the course of our studies, do not just read the Torah. We read the enormous body of commentary that has risen up around it, ‘reviews’ if you will, interpretations in different ages by thousands of scholars, both Jewish and otherwise. Reading this one document inspired and formed an entire culture, and from that culture stories re-told by numerous authors from their own experience. Although this is not to say that this is enough. It drives me insane when people say things like, “All I need’s ‘the Good Book’.” That particular perspective, Jewish or otherwise, inspires me to write about multiple gods, demons, and as much sex as I can pack into a story, preferably nasty, kinky demon sex.
In any case, my experience is that the importance of reading is for a writer what the experience of listening to music is for a musician. Without it, I would lose sight of structure and form. I would be limited to my own personal experience, which in the busy days of trying to earn a living and raise a family, would not make an action packed read. That’s a good thing. Books extend our experiences vicariously. I’m totally okay with not actually battling dragons or orcs at this point in my life. I’m too busy battling the economy.
See how other writers and reviewers use reading to enrich their experiences and writing.
http://www.refractedlightreviews.com Danny Snell’s Refracted Light Reviews
http://pattilarsen.blogspot.com Patti Larsen, Author of The Ghost Boy of MacKenzie House, the Hunted series, and the Hayle Coven novels.
http://courtneycolewrites.wordpress.com Courtney Cole, Author of Every Last Kiss, Fated, Princess, and Guardian. Also a contributing author in The Glassheart Chronicles.
http://wrenemerson.wordpress.com Wren Emerson, Author of I Wish and a contributing author in The Glassheart Chronicles.
http://laurasmagicday.wordpress.com Laura Elliott, Author of Winnemucca.
http://nicoleawilliams.blogspot.com Nichole A. Williams, Author of Eternal Eden, and the upcoming Fallen Eden. She is also participating in the Glassheart Chronicles.
http://fisheramelie.com/blog/ Fisher Amelie, Author of The Understorey, as well as a contributing author in The Glassheart Chronicles.
http://amyjonesyaff.blogspot.com Amy Maurer Jones, Author of The Soul Quest Trilogy as well as a contributing author in The Glassheart Chronicles.
http://thewarriorseries.blogspot.com T. R. Graves, Author of Warriors of the Cross.
http://ctefft.blogspot.com Cyndi Tefft, Author of Between
http://pjhoover.blogspot.com P.J. Hoover, Author of Solstice, The Emerald Tablet, The Navel of the World, The Necropolis.
http://www.aliciamccalla.com Alicia McCalla, Author of the upcoming science-fiction novel Breaking Free.
http://heathercashman.com/better_off_read Heather Cashman, Author of Perception.
http://www.abbiglines.com Abbi Glines, Author of Breathe, and the upcoming Existence and Vincent Boys.
http://cidneyswanson.blogspot.com/ Cidney Swanson, Author of Rippler.
http://cherischmidt.blogspot.com, Cheri Schmidt, Author of Fateful, Fractured, and Fair Maiden, Fire Dancer
http://www.lexusluke.com/, Lexus Luke, Author of Manitou, The Sky People Saga, Fire Breather
http://www.suzyturner.com/, Suzy Turner, Author of December Moon and Raven, Dragonslayer
http://kasi-kcblake.blogspot.com/, K. C. Blake, Author of Vampire Rules, Elephant Trainer
http://hereventuality.blogspot.com/, Gwenn Wright, Author of Filter, Ring-Leader
http://kimberlykinrade.com/, Kimberly Kinrade, Author of Bits of You, Pieces of Me and Forbidden Mind, Prestidigitator
http://jlbryanbooks.blogspot.com/, J.L. Bryan, Author of Paranormals series- Jenny Pox. Tommy Nightmare & Alexander Death
http://darbykarchut.com/ Darby Karchut, Author of Griffin Rising, and soon Griffin Fire
http://puttingpentopage.com/ Heather Self
http://brynabutler.wordpress.com/ Bryna Butler, author of the Midnight Guardian series
What’s new this week?
GIVEAWAY!
But before their romance can grow the demoness tracks Morpho down, and now only needs an ancient artifact called the Tablet of Destiny to complete the destruction of the world. The tablet confers on its owner the ability to control the fate of everything and everyone on earth.
Once the tablet is discovered in the Middle East, the oldest and most powerful gods begin a battle for its possession, with the human population caught in the middle. Morpho, her family, and her new friend must decide, do they escape from the horrifying demoness or fight for their own destiny. How far will Pazuzu go to save his daughter from a hellish fate? Will his banishment from Heaven so many millennia ago end up being a curse…or a blessing?
Thanks to her parents, she returns to the present to find the love of her life no longer exists. His family line was broken and now, so is she.
This betrayal forces her to seek out Gabe. Setting aside her fear of the truth, she must trust this man and learn what he can teach her… otherwise, she’ll never get her boyfriend back.