With everything that's been going on in my life -- school, writing, personal stuff... it gets seriously hard to manage my day to day. The first thing that always gets pushed to the back back back burner? Reading. After all--I tell myself--I need to write if I'm ever going to get published. When it comes down to the two, I always choose writing first. I tend to forget how reading has such a positive effect on my writing... the level of creativity I reach... my inspiration, my motivation.. gah, it's all tied to sitting down once in a while and reading a good book. Even the bad ones help to a certain extent.
At any rate, I wanted to step away from my wips -- remember the whole critting idea? I had planned to tear through this woman's wip--I think she has 36 chapters in her book. I got through chapter 5 and realized she'd taken down chapters 6-20-something. There went that plan. lol So, I picked up NEW MOON instead -- see the review below. I can't tell you the number of ideas that were sparked for BTPM's revisions while I read this book. No, not copying, and not trying to pass myself off as a "Stephenie Meyer--wannabe." Just good ol' inspiration from reading a book that works.
I've come up with quite a few changes I want to make -- nothing that will really alter the current order or anything -- just changes that will beef up what I have with some new scenes here and there. Extra oomph and conflict... all easy fixes because the foundation of the story is already strong. I'm so excited to begin, which I probably will tonight.
Anyway, what's my point? The old adage is true -- in order to write, you NEED to read. Maybe not all the time, and hopefully not books too similar to your own... but enough to keep the creative juices flowing. Consider reading the gas that keeps your writing engine going... without it, you're gonna sputter out. That is exactly what happened to me. But dang it, my tank is full again. :) Yay.
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