What’s Your Reading and Writing Style?
November 22nd, 2011 § 4 Comments
I’ve realised something lately. Well, maybe not quite so lately. Well, I’ve known something about myself as a reader for a long time, and thinking about that, I learned something about myself as a writer.
You see, I’ve always been a binge-reader. Once I start a book I read it obsessively, continuously, with as few interruptions as possible. As an only child, and a latchkey one to boot, I had many uninterrupted hours in which I could immerse myself in whatever I was reading.
Even now, I still read this way. Once I start something, if it holds my interest, I will ignore housework and other mundane things in order to read the book till it’s finished. On average I read a book in 1-2 days.
I’ve been writing seriously, with the hopeful goal of publication, on and off (life permitting) for several years now. I’ve read with envy of writers who can write amazing books, from picture books to young adult novels, in 20 and 30 minute blocks of time, snatched here and there, like when they are waiting for the kids at the orthodontist. Agatha Christie worked this way, and it obviously worked out really well for her.
Often I’ve wished I could work this way too. But lately, I’ve not so much learned, as learned to accept, that that’s not my style. For as many years as I’ve been writing, I’ve attempted to implement this technique of writing in whatever small blocks present themselves to me throughout the course of my day. Alas, that’s just not how my writing brain works. For me, I need at least an hour, and an hour of quiet. No kidlet in the background, no dogs scooting the water bowl around on the floor of the kitchen “asking” for water. Just me and the notebook (the old-fashioned kind) or the notebook (the mac kind), and my thoughts.
So how about you? What’s your reading style, and your writing style? Are they the same, or do you (can you?) write differently than you read? I’d love to hear in the comments.
Ohhh, it’s so exciting to come to realizations about yourself like that. To know yourself better and what you can and can’t do. Even if, in this case, it means you can’t do something. At least you know, and that helps, right?
I need a bit of both types of writing in my life. If I have a few hours to work, and think, and plan, followed by a few manic days where I’m snatching time wherever I can get it, both will work for me. But without the first, I can’t do the second. I, too, seem to need uninterrupted thinking time.
I think you hit on the truth when you said “without the first, I can’t do the second. I, too, seem to need uninterrupted thinking time.” Agatha Christie had everything planned out, so when she did have 30 minutes at her lunch break, she knew exactly what she needed to be writing.
I think my next step needs to be a detailed outline of scenes, so that I can make the most of small snatches of time by already knowing what I need to write.
Maybe there’s still hope that I can have a hybrid (intensive + short bursts) writing style after all!
Huh, i hadn’t thought about this before, but I think my writing and reading styles are pretty similar. Sometimes I’m like you and I get sucked into reading for a few days, the same way that I get sucked into a writing project. And other times I get restless while I’m reading and restless while I’m writing. I’m not sure what causes these shifts, by they definitely come and go!
I just realised today by updating my reading list for the year that I’m a binge reader in a second way: once I discover a new author I immediately read all the books they’ve published.
I’ve also been thinking that I’m reading as a way of procrastinating my writing project…. time to let myself get sucked back into writing I think!
Thanks for stopping by Anna!