How Much Should Writers Read?
Although commuting into NYC every day was taxing and often frustrating it did have its benefits: I was able to read a ton of books. Between the NJ Metro-North and the Path, I was averaging a book a week—sometimes more. But since leaving St. Martin’s Press, my reading rate has dropped quite a bit (I’m down to about a book every two and a half weeks). And while I felt cool being able to boast a book per week reading rate, I have to say, I’m enjoying this slower pace. Now that I'm commuting less I have way more flexibility and time to focus my energy on creating, rather than just consuming.
But this still raises an important—and I’m sure controversial—question: How much should you be reading?
I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve heard a professor or writer or article say that if you want to write well, you need to read a lot. But how much is “a lot”? Is it 5 books? 10? 30? 55? And do you really need to tear through thousands of pages to have a shot at becoming the next Tolkein? Call me crazy but I’m going to say, No. You don’t have to read a crap-ton of books to be a good writer. Instead, I would argue it’s more important to read diversely and to read books that you genuinely enjoy. How many books you wind up reading each year is entirely up to you.
Diversity. If you head over to The Shelf Life or my Goodreads profile, you’ll notice that over the last four months I’ve read everything from She Would Be King to The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck. While young adult alternative history and/or fantasy novels tend to be my jam, I make a point to read across a variety of genres because it exposes me to different narrative styles and challenges me to think about how I can potentially apply them in my own work. In that same vein reading books from authors who are different from you (e.g. race, gender, culture, etc) is just as important! How can you live—or write for that matter—with an open mind if you’re not willing to read with one?
Enjoyment. While I do think it’s vital to venture out of your comfort zone in order to expand your knowledge of craft and the world, it’s also crucial to read books you know are going to light your imagination on fire. For instance, when it comes to fiction the minute there is a secret organization/order/coalition, sword fighting, airships, and/or a magical treasure with a kind-of-romantic sub-plot involved I am 3000% in—just shut up and take my money. These kinds of stories take me back to my childhood when I was running around the yard with a lightsaber and pretending I was on a quest with my pet dragon to save the Queendom. Reading books that bring out that inner-child is crucial because they remind you how fun and exciting it is to create these crazy worlds. They remind you why you love to create and they challenge you to channel that electric energy into your own creative works.
Also, I think it's important to note that it’s okay if you go through love-hate relationships with reading. Just because you’re not reading a book—or don’t love to read in general—doesn’t mean that you’re not consuming narratives, and in turn, growing as a writer. You might be consuming and learning through other mediums—movies, TV shows, news articles, short stories, comics/graphic novels, etc.
