I have not been posting here on the blog very often. i have been writing the early draft of a new novel, the sequel to The Damage. So as I have been focusing on my daily word count and getting the ideas down on the page, I have simply not had time to do a post. Or much interest in more writing in another form, to be honest.
At the same time as the new year gets itself flowing I have been endeavouring to get more reading done, as the pile of books to be read was getting pretty high. Actually the pile wasn’t too bad because most of them are ebooks for I suppose you can’t have a pile of ebook! It has got me thinking about how what we as a writer how much of what you are reading at the same time as writing influences the work you do. Having asked the question I have no real answers other than the book I am reading at the moment I am not getting totally into. So perhaps some of the aspects of it that I have not totally liked, have been elements I have not been including in my own writing, as I don’t necessarily want my work to resemble that particular book. If that makes any sense at all. Or is it a case of my likes and dislikes and personal style is already set and I would avoid those elements which I don’t like from that book anyway.
I am thinking of dropping reading this particular book and move on to another I feel might be more similar to my style of writing. But then perhaps this similar style might influence mine too much, perhaps exposing yourself to different styles can open up your own writing. Ah well only time will tell for this project.
I think what you read does influence the way you write, even if only subliminally. Hence the need to read quality material by writers whose style you admire – at least that’s what I try to do, but I must confess to being drawn into pulp fiction just a tad too often.