wordage, wordage everywhere

[adelaidesean]

Sometimes being a writer is more about reading than writing. Sometimes reading swamps writing entirely, a situation I find myself in at the moment.

I don't mean reading over my own work during the editing process; neither do I mean reading for review or research. During October, I'll be reading as a judge for the Aurealis Awards and the Writers of the Future Contest. I'm assessing grant applications (which includes scrutinising support material by the box-load) for Arts SA. I'm perusing submissions for the ever-expanding Big Book Club. And I'm looking at a galley from a friend in the States with a view to providing a blurb.

All of these things are important. All of them take time. There are days in the middle of writing a novel when I would kill for an afternoon reading a good book (aka falling asleep on the couch with a hardback plopped over my face). Seems all those wishes are coming true at once this month.

I'm not complaining. I'm actually looking forward to it. It counts as input, and I can't let myself nod off while reading this kind of stuff. Any one of these books or stories could inspire me in unknown ways. I might even read something that will change the way I think about fiction forever. It's possible. Isn't that why we let stories into our lives in the first place? To change and inspire us?

It's also a pleasant change of routine. Before I know it, I'll be back to doing what I normally do and wishing for moments like these. By anyone's standards, reading for a living looks very much like luxury.

Comments

[ladnews.livejournal.com]

Oh, I wish! That would solve everything. :-)

I tend to break a day into three blocks: morning, afternoon and evening. If I work two of those blocks, that counts as a full day. Usually I can write in the morning at least, then read or whatever in one of the other blocks. And while I'm working on one extended project every day, I can be working on another one, or several, in other blocks on the same days. So while I may not be reading and writing simultaneously, quite often I am doing a bit of both on the same day. I think that over-answers your question. :-)

How was Perth? As beautiful as ever?

[gumnut.livejournal.com]

Yes! It was as beautiful as ever. I was seriously tempted to sneak the Swan River and several hundred species of flora onto the plane with me, but there is that whole extra luggage charge thing.

It was a native plant enthusiast's heaven. I wonder if they'll let me borrow the Stirling Range for a while.

But I ramble...your answer answers my question perfectly :D I asked because I was wondering if reading others' work interferes with writing your own. For example, getting your mind into your world and then having to pull it out to enter someone else's...I wondered if it derailed your train of thought or not.

Nutty
(plant nut)

[ladnews.livejournal.com]

Perth: sigh. It's been too long since I was there. Must do something about that soon...

Reading others' work: absolutely, there's a definite influence, so I try to overlap every project with the right kind of reading, where possible. Reading a writer whose work I admire helps me reach higher, which is always a good thing. Sometimes, afterwards, I have to edit out elements of that author's style which have crept in (as with Sheri S Tepper while writing The Hanging Mountains) but that's a small price to pay. While writing Saturn Returns I read a lot of Gothic and mainstream novels. I'm about to read the copy-edited ms from Ace, so I'll be interested to see how that turned out. :-)

[gumnut.livejournal.com]

I'd actually never been there before, so it was all new. We travelled a bit - Perth - Margaret River - Pemberton - Albany - Cervantes - Geraldton - Toodyay - and back to Perth. I received a good education on WA. Though for some reason I couldn't shake the feeling I was still in SA, just with a few extra plants and buildings. I think the weather was to blame since it is mostly what we get here.

Reading an edited version of your own work...interesting? I have no doubt ::grin:: Any nail biting involved or is there just a bit of lip chewing?

When I write my little bits and pieces, I find I stop reading almost completely. And if I do pick up something it is usually non-fiction. Queen of distraction, I find I need to keep my head in the right space while writing.

This lack of reading can get me into strife in my writing communities where reading and feedback are the key to everything so I was curious as to how you handled it. But! I recently started a couple of offline writers' groups where, as facilitator, my participation is pretty much mandatory. It forces me to write (which is always a good thing), but it also forces me to read others' work (also a good thing). I shall learn and adapt and discipline the brain :D

Thanks for answering my questions. Out of curiosity, I've just posted a query to the general melee on my journal regarding this topic. Since you inspired that topic, it's there if you're interested (http://gumnut.livejournal.com/169131.html).

Oooh, just remembered! A little verbal feedack I heard regarding you. One of the members of my writing groups - we were discussing an upcoming Writers' Festival and your name was mentioned. The person I was speaking too said you were always an enjoyable and entertaining speaker. :D

Ack! ::thwaps self:: Can't remember the exact words, but that was the general idea.

Anyways, I am babbling again. I will now dash off in search of breakfast.

Nutty
(who just had to yank the washing off the line because it started raining, drat it)

[ladnews.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the link. Always nice to read other opinions on this kind of thing. There are no right answers.

And thanks for the feedback! That's even nicer to read. :-)

Ah, Margaret River. I've had a couple of wonderful weekends there, in which wine, chocolate, cheese and caves were essential. One of the nicest places in the world, I reckon. Now I'm *determined* to go back soon...

[gumnut.livejournal.com]

Piccies of WA (http://gumnut.livejournal.com/169890.html) ::grin::

Go on, do it, put up your feet for a few days or weeks :D Is this where we discuss the addition of wine and chocolate to the art of writing? :D

Two weeks ago, to this day, I was standing in the fudge shop in Margaret River. There were many Homer Simpson drooling sound effects.

Hmm, now I want fudge.

Nutty
(who fully intends to go back there again in a couple of years)