It's the first Wednesday of the month, and that means it's time for another meeting of The Insecure Writer's Support Group! Alex J. Cavanaugh started this group so writers could have a place to share their insecurities and offer support. His co-hosts for this month are Misha Gericke, L.K. Hill, Juneta Key, Christy, and Joylene Nowell Butler.
Be sure to check out the IWSG website!
I'm sick today, so I'll keep this brief.
February 1st Question: How has being a writer changed your experience as a reader?
I don't read passively. I find myself reading for clues that might tell me where the story is going. I consider the narrative choices the author has made. Why did the author choose a certain word? Why did the author choose this POV? How would the story be different if another POV were used? The process of asking these questions helps me with my own writing.
How has being a writer changed the way you read?
Love it. Reading as a writer has actually become a process of organically coming to understand the whole evolution of a story. Pacing and arcs are much easier understood if we're constantly immersing ourselves in written worlds.
ReplyDeleteWe need to read, that's part of our ongoing training. But it's so much harder to enjoy the process when our inner editor/critique nags and whispers throughout. Grr! :)
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I hope you feel better soon.
ReplyDeleteIf it helps you with your own writing, that's agood thing.
Hope you feel better soon!
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry your sick.
ReplyDeleteHope you feel better soon! I think I do tend to look for clues when I'm reading, to try to figure things out before they happen.
ReplyDeleteI still get lost in books when I read, but I do notice things now that I didnt' before.
ReplyDeleteThese days I'm much better at catching clues via foreshadowing, thanks to having to think them up for my stories.
ReplyDeleteAt the moment, I'm closely following plot and structure in the many books I read, LG, as I such here. I'm fine with setting, descriptions, characterisation etc, but readers want a strong plot structure. Luckily after failing to put the theory into practice, I have 2 sharp critique partners who are walking me through it...:-0
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