Finding my way back to reading

It’s the piece of writing advice you see everywhere: “If you want to be a writer, you should start by reading everything you can get your hands on. Read in your genre. Read outside of your genre. Read everything.”

Said every writer.

Ever.

Source: Read by carnagenyc, on Flickr

With that as the case, then I have been a very poor writer in the last little while. The last long while, really.

I read…but I mostly read manga. Which doesn’t help me too much when my art form is prose. Everyone nags me to fix this issue. Friends. Inkettes (especially Jessica :P). The Wife.

So I finally carved out the time. One fiction book down, one non-fiction chapter down.

And I can tell you, I really really missed it. I’m able to approach the book for not only enjoyment, now, but as a writer. I can see the pieces better, the foreshadowing, the multi-faceted plot and character elements that take turns moving the story forward.

With non-fiction, I’m getting multiple ideas per page, fleshing out worlds and charting a plot to drive my characters forward.

Are you reading? Too little? Too much? Do you still have time for your words? Or does all your reading support your words?

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