Most writers give this advice to those of us who wish to join the guild: read. Read lots. Read constantly. While it’s not always possible to read all the time, I do spend at least a couple hours most days behind a book. I know not everyone likes to read, but I read a tremendous number of books. Of course I don’t keep count, but the total is in the thousands rather than the hundreds. When you read, you learn. Yes, I read for entertainment, but I also learn at the same time. I learn how to write. And how not to write. I learn what works, and what doesn’t. I love to read. An ethical issue has been nagging me. Aren’t those who read required, if so enabled, to give something back? If there’s anything I enjoy more than reading, it’s writing. I could write until I drop dead with no regrets. It is my obligation, is it not, to offer back some of what I’ve taken? I’ve borrowed ideas, thoughts, and dream...
Blog of a struggling writer.