To further encourage my creativity and continue to motivate me, I recently acquired another pile of books via online and local used bookstores that are in the genre I want to write.
The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.
Dr. Seuss
Some of these I read long ago and others were very new to me. The ones that have slid off my to be read pile so far excite and challenge me, even when I may not have enjoyed the story, the writing and the reading were exceptional. I want to understand the past of my genre for context as well as what is currently popular for the market.
My writing friends have various opinions on reading within your genre and reading outside your genre. Even the experts will debate over this. Yet they all agree on this: if you want to be a successful writer, you have to be a passionate reader.
If you are going to get anywhere in life you have to read a lot of books.
Roald Dahl
Even if I didn’t desire to write, I still would yearn to read and have done so since I first was read to as a child. Having an “excuse” to read in some ways takes a smidgeon of the fun out of it, but not really. More reason to BUY books is always a good thing.
What have you been reading recently?