Do Writers Read Other Writers' Books?

I would hope so.

When asked, "What is the best advice he can give to aspiring writers?"

George RR Martin said, “The most important thing for any aspiring writer, I think, is to read! And not just the sort of thing you’re trying to write, be that fantasy, SF, comic books, whatever. You need to read everything…Every writer has something to teach you, for good or ill.”

Long before I started writing short stories and novels, I read. I have been an avid reader since I learned to read. Growing up, I always had library books checked out. I think by the time I was thirteen, I had read just about every book in the Kingfisher Library that the librarian would let me read.

I always have a book or two that I am currently reading. My current reads are:

Being Henry: The Fonz...and Beyond by Henry Winkler an Autobiography. And, Tina and the Big Bad Wolf and Other Stories by Jason Ryan Dale which has four Short Stories, a blend of Mystery and Literary stories.

My reading interests cross many genres. Here is a list from Goodreads of the last six books I have read. I will give you a breakdown of their genres.

Her: A Love Story is a Lesbian Romance novel

An Old Foe Comes Calling is a Western novel

The Traveling Man is a Mystery/Thriller novel

Apache Jack is a Historical Frontier Western novel

The Other Hotel is a Literary novel

Who's Killing the Old Movie Stars?: Old Guys Murder Mystery #4 is a Mystery novel

Reading as much as I do, I believe helps me be a better writer. It allows me to see what other writers are doing I might want to emulate. Such as, Stephen King's vast array of diverse and interesting characters. And, Raymond Carver whose short stories featured simple language and a focus on everyday life.

Reading other writers also helps me know which writing styles I do not wish to incorporate in my writing. James A Michener often took a couple hundred pages of narrative just to set the scene. And, Robert James Waller whose The Bridges of Madison County I kept stumbling over while reading it because of poorly constructed prose. Don't get me wrong, the book was a huge mass market success. My hat is off to Mr. Waller for having a story that was compelling enough to overcome his writing style. Don't believe me? Read Nicholas Sparks' The Notebook. Both books are similar as far as the type of story and commercial success. But, the prose in The Notebook does not get in the way of the story.

I recently read a post in a writing group I follow where someone pointed out she owed much of her success as a writer to being a voracious reader across several genres. She also pointed out she continues to read other work even though she now writes her own novels. She feels it is important to continue reading other authors' books to continue her own growth as a writer. I agree with her. It surprised me how many writers commented they no longer read outside their own authored books. Why? To read other work will not dilute or pull you away from your own writing style. Most authors' writing styles are strongly influenced by the type of books they enjoy reading the most. I know I want to continue to grow as a writer and that involves more than 'practice makes perfect' mentality. It means continuing to supplement your own writing skills by reading more than just your own body of work. And, for me, diversity in writing styles and genres in my reading opens up my writer world to endless possibilities.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. If you are an aspiring writer, I hope this post proves helpful in your endeavor as an author. Whether you are reading one of my blog posts for the first time or a follower of my blog, thank you for taking the time to read this post.

Now, I believe I will set this aside. Walk Koda, then read more of Being Henry: The Fonz...and Beyond.