We constantly hear that reading is like doing
homework for writers. That the more we read the more we learn about writing.
What works and what doesn’t work in terms of plot points, character
development, story arc and several other aspects of writing.
Every editor and agent advises that to write well
one must read, read and then read some more. Reading widens our writing
horizon. It exposes us to a wide range of writing techniques.
I think my love for writing was fuelled by reading.
As a child I was a voracious reader. Summer holidays would see me devouring
large piles of books like a book monster. Somewhere deep down, this intense love created
a desire in me to write my own stories. The only time I don’t read much is when
I am writing the first draft of my manuscripts. This is a deliberate attempt so
that I don’t subconsciously copy or get influenced by another writer. But, once
the first draft is done then I am back to reading big time.
In the last few months I have read several books:
Hunger Games Trilogy, the first book of the Divergent series, Millenium
Trilogy, Anuja Chauhan’s ‘Those Pricey
Thakur Girls’, Ashwin Sanghi’s ‘Chanakya’s
Chant’ and now ‘The Krishna Key’ (both of which I found simply amazing), Anita
Nair’s ‘Cut like Wound’ Sarita Mandanna’s ‘Tiger Hills’, Amish’s ‘Immortals of
Meluha’ and ‘The Secret of the Nagas’, Randy Boyagoda’s ‘Beggar’s Feast’.
I have noticed that I am hardly reading any Middle
Grade books. All the books I am reading are YA or Adult fiction. I need to get
some MG books.
Like me are you all obsessed with reading. Any
suggestions for good MG books? Do you make it a point to read books? What are
you all reading now?
Agree , reading is necessary to keep the mental faculty ticking:) Last book read was Dan Brown's 'Inferno'! A must read....
ReplyDeleteI love to read and read a ton. My problem is having too many books to read for my blog, but I really enjoy the books I read. I just finished an ARC of SCORCHED by Mari Mancusi. It was SO good.
ReplyDeleteFor MG, I suggest (if you like adventure) the Deltora books and the Ranger's Apprentice series. I recently started reading a lot of short fiction, but Elantris by Brandon Sanderson is the novel I'm currently on.
ReplyDeleteYes, I am obsessed with reading books. I've just finished two poetry anthologies (check my blog for more information) and I recently started a book by Carl Jung. I've also been reading some short stories by Borges. I'm a voracious reader.
ReplyDeleteI have a list of books always waiting for me... I can't get enough.
Over the last few years, I am reading mostly non-fiction. Maybe I feel that reality is stranger than fiction! Whatever, these days I have the patience and drive to read non-fiction and hence I am reading a lot of them.
ReplyDeleteCurrently I am reading two books - 'Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus' and 'Motorcycle Diaries'. I also read a bunch of business books from time to time... My favorite genre is autobiography - It blends fiction and non-fiction very well :)
Destination Infinity
I read all the time! MIddle grade, adult, YA. A really good MG series is Marissa Moss's Mira's Diary series. I just posted about it on my lates Fourth Wish blog. Also, some of the classic YAs, like Treasure Island (which I also posted about on my Victorian Scribbles blog.) I'm in the middle of a re-read of Claude and Camille, for adults, a novel about the painter Monet and his wife.
ReplyDeleteI love reading. It's like breathing for me. For MG, my most recent reads were The Fellowship for Alien Detection by Kevin Emerson, and The Emerald Ring by Dorine White - both fun reads.
ReplyDeleteAlso, my family favorite MG series so far is The Ranger's Apprentice series by Jon Flanagan, followed by this Brotherband Chronicles.
I go through spurts where I will read a lot and then not much. Sorry, don't know any middle grade books to suggest.
ReplyDeleteShort answer to your question: No. Not by a long shot. Despite some effort (not nearly enough) I've been reading more- but I don't do it consistently. I need to make time to read every single night. I know this, I just don't do it.
ReplyDeleteI'm embarrased by your reading list in comparison to mine and this is a good kick in the butt to get back to what I know I so deperately need to do.
Hi friends, thanks for suggesting the MG books. I have noted down the names and will look them up on Amazon.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely. I read every night and during the day during various breaks.
ReplyDeleteI don;'t read many MG books either.
A fav is 'Cosmic' and any other books by Frank Cotterill Boyce.
I will look out those others that have been recommended too.
I work with dozens of military, ages 18 to 33. That I'm stationary (er, not paper, pun intended) means I see a flux of them every year or two. I interact with several dozen every year on a personal level. Of 200 I can consider off-hand, only one has read one book in the last year, though I work with two others that read constantly and are more stationary as myself. Aside from pulp-fiction junk like tween novels devoured by the masses, reading is all but dead from my angle, though not for myself, as I devour an author's complete works in a few years time such as Samuel Clemens (The biography of Joan of Arc was quite good, as well Innocents Abroad). Still, we're getting to the "Ow, My Balls!" Idiocracy film level in America.
ReplyDeleteI love reading but this past month has been a slow one on that front, I'm getting back to it!
ReplyDeleteLoved the post ;)
I read just about anything, but I'd like to get to my adult books. I have some Stephen King, Gillian Flynn, and a few other authors waiting for me on my Kindle. I usually read YA and MG.
ReplyDeleteI like your new blog template colors.
I read every day, even if I'm working on a first draft. I can't survive without reading a novel every day. It's like I need to do that in order to shut off my brain before bed.
ReplyDeleteSorry, I don't read MG.
I don't get to read for pleasure often. I'm usually reading some book on marketing or something.
ReplyDeleteWould the Chronicles of Narnia be considered MG?
Wow, Rachna!! That's a lot of books!!!
ReplyDeleteGood for you to be on the reading bandwagon--I think it's good to be influenced by books you love--If something reminds you of another book you've read, but it's your story, it will still be your story. :)
Only you can write your stuff! Amazing, right?
I read mostly nonfiction now, and a novel here and there.
ReplyDeleteI don't read MG, so I'm no help to you. I would like more reading time. I read before going to bed, but some days - most here lately - I don't have any other time to read. Reading is one of my favorite things to do, so I miss it when time is short.
ReplyDeleteI have slacked off on reading as the summer has diverted my attention to outdoor things. I hope to jump back in in the fall. Enjoy your weekend Rachna and I hope you get some good book suggestions.
ReplyDeleteNo I don't read enough books and especially lately with the travelling I've been doing. Currently I'm slowly reading The Speakeasy by Veronika Carnaby so I can review it for her. Sadly, I've fallen rather behind schedule with it.
ReplyDeleteAlso I'm a very slow reader most of the time and that puts me at a reader's disadvantage. I'm trying to do better though.
Lee
Tossing It Out
One of my (many) downfalls as a writerly-type...I certainly don't read enough.
ReplyDeleteHaving a Kindle (as well as cloud access on my phone) does help some, though :)
I've always been an avid reader... though I went through a period where I didn't read anything for a few years.
ReplyDeleteSince I started blogging/writing about 3 years ago, my reading programme has expanded to include a variety of genres. Where previously, I read mainly romance and mystery/suspense/thriller stories, I've now learned to appreciate a bit of space opera and speculative fiction, even dark speculative fiction.
But I can't really help you much with the MG books.
Writer In Transit
I love to read, and agree, it is very good for our writing. I think we need to read in our genre and others too. Hoping to get some more reading in this summer.
ReplyDeleteHappy weekend!
I constantly read MG books, from any century providing they are good. One of the best I've ever read is Jeremy, written by a man who was as famous as Dickens in his day, now forgotten, but he was one of the best children's writers ever.
ReplyDeleteBooks are the primary tools for my becoming a writer/poet. I can still remember how my father exposed me to reading books in as early as 4 to 5 years old and the first book that I've read was titled "A Book About Christopher Columbus." Books really helped a lot in the formative years of the kind of writer that I would become. Surely, my life as a writer is one that should involve My Lifelong Love Affairs with Books.
ReplyDeleteThe only MG book I'm reading just now is Robert Macfarlane's "The Wild Places". I can recommend any of his books.
ReplyDeleteI try to read a mixture of genre books and the more literary novels that are considered the greats. Not always that great, it turns out. Don't read any children's or YA books, so can't help you with any recommendations I'm afraid.
ReplyDeletemood
I always feel like I don't read enough although I do so whenever I can. Currently I'm reading Jennifer Hillier's Creep, Terry Pratchett's Dodger and Rachel Morgan's Faerie Guardian, which are all excellent. I also have Divergent on my list. Since I've been writing I do seem able to focus on more than one story at a time, which I couldn't do before!
ReplyDeleteGreat list of books! Keep reading:) We must be on the same wavelength, because I just posted about rereading books:)
ReplyDeleteLike you, my love for writing was fueled by a love for reading. I've been reading a ton this summer! Just finished Splintered by A.G. Howard and loved it.
ReplyDeleteReading is definitely key. I find I don't read as much when I'm drafting novels, although I still try to read at least 52 books a year.
ReplyDeleteI have a stack by my desk that I'm working through. I love to try different genres though my favorite is women's fiction. But like you, as I'm working on my WIP, I tend to not read them.
ReplyDeleteI haven't been reading a lot recently because I've been writing a lot. I tend to slow down my reading during that time so my head doesn't get confused. But I've been missing it. I need a good book. I'll probably do a lot of reading in September because I won't be writing as much in that month.
ReplyDeleteJai