Comments on: What Did You Read Today? 7 Reasons Writers Should Read Every Day

By: What are You Reading…and Where? : Freelance Writing Jobs | The #1 Online Writing Community for Freelancers

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 20:55:25 +0000

[...] I was wondering if I should blow off a couple of hours of quiet working time in favor of a good read. There’s nothing like getting lost in a good book. I’m talking about the kind of lost [...]

By: Kate

Kate — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 19:23:38 +0000

It can be hard to read every day, but I figure if you manage a novel a week, and take the time to get through the newspaper thats about right.

By: Daniel

Daniel — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 07:18:34 +0000

I read similar article also named , and it was completely different. Personally, I agree with you more, because this article makes a little bit more sense for me

By: Jodee

Jodee — Mon, 19 May 2008 12:18:10 +0000

@ Trisha: I finally finished Atonement….I can only say “Wow!” It was the best read I’ve had in a long time. A very well-crafted, very human story.

By: 31 Link Love Articles this Week | Writer's Resource Center

31 Link Love Articles this Week | Writer's Resource Center — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 07:05:08 +0000

[...] What Did You Read Today? 7 Reasons Writers Should Read Every Day [...]

By: Innocuous « no narcissus

Innocuous « no narcissus — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 17:24:18 +0000

[...] was thinking about a post I read at FWJ about reading everyday. I’ve been putting off reading during the day, because I’ve been [...]

By: Gina-Marie Cheeseman

Gina-Marie Cheeseman — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 02:06:53 +0000

I am an avid reader. I read my daily newspaper. I read various alternative/independent news sites, and news blogs. I also read books regularly. At the moment I am reading “In the Beginning” by Chaim Potok, “Memoirs of a Geisha” by Arthur Golden, “A People’s History of the United States” by Howard Zinn, and “Hegemony or Survival” by Noam Chomsky. I read magazines: Art in America, Rolling Stone, Spin, The Nation, Mother Jones, and Opera News.

By: Robin Marie

Robin Marie — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 19:45:59 +0000

I’m a little late joining this discussion, but I’ve always been a reader, ever since I understood that letters formed words that went together to make sentences to tell stories.
Currently, I’m reading the nonfiction story by John Grisham, “The Innocent Man,” which is both depressing and intriguing. I also subscribe to about 15 magazines/mth and my roommate subscribes to another 8 or 9. I’m not exaggerating.

By: Fiction writer’s over-inspiration … a good problem to have

Fiction writer’s over-inspiration … a good problem to have — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 04:23:08 +0000

[...] recent post about why writers should read on FWJ wasn’t news to me – I’ve always presumed that all good writers must also be good [...]

By: Phil

Phil — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 02:17:16 +0000

Newspapers…ever since high school, back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, and newspapers were on stone tablets.

By: Rhonda

Rhonda — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 01:22:57 +0000

I am currently in the middle of Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier and Collected Stories by Ellen Gilchrist.

My new favorite magazines to read are Oxford American and Brain, Child.

I agree with the advice that one has to be a good reader to be a good writer. Sometimes the things that are a little bit challenging for me to read help me with my writing the most. It helps me craft good sentence structure and inspires creativity.

That said, the most difficult thing I read last year was the instruction manual for my child’s car seat, and I don’t think it helped my writing one bit.

By: 34 Sunday Link Love Articles | Writer's Resource Center

34 Sunday Link Love Articles | Writer's Resource Center — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 01:07:07 +0000

[...] What Did You Read Today? 7 Reasons Writers Should Read Every Day [...]

By: The Writing / Editing Job Roll » 04/20/2008 Writing Jobs and Links

The Writing / Editing Job Roll » 04/20/2008 Writing Jobs and Links — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 00:50:35 +0000

[...] What Did You Read Today? 7 Reasons Writers Should Read Every Day [...]

By: Sha

Sha — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 00:19:09 +0000

I read any magazine I can get my hands on these days. At the moment, I subscribe to Lucky, W, Domino, Cooking Light, and Muscle and Fitness Hers. When times are slow at work I grab a Better Homes and Garden to flip through or find a non-blocked website about DIY crafts to read through.
The library is my home away from home. I fear they may restrict my privileges for checking out too many books in a month. The current library books in my possession are, Sew U by Wendy Mullin, How to Design Your Own Clothes by Claudi Ein, Matisse by Jean Guichard-Meili and Hans Hoffman by Cynthia Goodman. I found a few writing books I might pick up this week. As if I need one more book on writing to add to my collection and delay actually writing something. Hopefully on my visit there will be a copy of Pillars of the Earth by Follett that I can check out.

By: Janet

Janet — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 22:18:14 +0000

I subscribe to 3 women’s glossies (target market), so I read those regularly, plus the New Yorker for a dose of different writing, and a science magazine just because. I’ve been reading poetry from an anthology before I go to sleep lately; I’m also reading Marco Polo’s Travels. I recently finished Nicola Barker’s novel Darkmans, which I liked but it also creeped me out, and Doug Crandell’s novel The Flawless Skin of Ugly People, which I really liked. I’ve also been trying to read a biography of Alfred the Great, but that’s not going so well — I think biographies are just not my thing.

I usually switch between mysteries, nonfiction, and chick lit. Hey, does anyone else have dreams in which they’re reading?

By: Trisha

Trisha — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 21:35:31 +0000

Jodee:

I finished Atonement a few months ago. It’s very good! I’d be interested in your reaction when it’s done.

By: Fiona

Fiona — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 20:12:12 +0000

I love reading and used to love it. Then graduate school knocked any love of reading out of me for several years and I started reading for fun again a few years ago. At the moment I’m working on a Mary Todd Lincoln biography, the latest Jim Butcher Harry Dresden novel and a collection of short stories. Short stories fit into my time schedule more easily. I also am usually switching between several magazines at any one time, out of interest and looking for possible ideas and markets.

By: damaria senne

damaria senne — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 18:02:15 +0000

@Sandy and Jodee – I also love the J.D Robb novels. Read “Strangers in death” a couple of weeks ago. I especially like the way Roberts/Robb’s characters evolve over the series.

By: Diane

Diane — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 17:44:16 +0000

I also just wrapped up Atonement. I figured that I was doing myself a serious injustice by not taking the time to read the novel inspiring an Oscar-winning film. Today I also read/listened to Grammar Girl, and, of course, this blog. Now I feel challenged to look for new sources to incorporate into my Sunday reading!

By: Jodee

Jodee — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 16:49:26 +0000

I read the daily newspaper regularly. No matter how busy I get, I like to keep informed about current events. I treated myself to a few new books lately and right now I’m reading The Appeal by John Grisham.

I’m also reading Atonement by Ian McEwan. (Even since I took a course in college on the subject, I’ve been fascinated by how books are translated into film.)

@ Sandy: I enjoy reading Nora Roberts as J.D. Robb, and I’m a fan of Mary Higgins Clark too.

By: Richard

Richard — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 16:21:15 +0000

Right now I’m working on a biography of C.S. Lewis. Just finished two abridged books on audio: The Reagan Diaries (which I liked) and Ann Coulter’s If Democrats Had Any Brains, They’d Be Republicans (I’m a conservative who agrees with Coulter on many issues, but I came away with major differences in opinion regarding Coulter’s delivery; it’s easy to see why many dislike her). I love to read, but dealing with ADHD, it’s really hard for me to be able to sit down and do it as often as I would like and should.

The venerable Stephen King in his book On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, said that a writer who doesn’t read regularly can’t expect to acquire the tools needed to be a great writer. In other words, if you want to make a living doing this, get off your lazy butt and read. Reading expands your mind, exposes you to what works and what doesn’t and gives you ideas for new territory.

Reading gives me inspiration in an unusual way. I’ll read columns and such and think to myself, man, this writer is getting published and they absolutely suck. If THEY can get published, then with hard work I can also

By: Trisha

Trisha — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 15:40:20 +0000

I’m just going to be finishing The Adventures of Tom Sawyer today. I’ve really never read it, so it’s about time. Then I’ll choose what to read next after that. I’ve got a lot to choose from because I have a bookshelf full of books I still need to read. And a Sony Reader that has the same predicament.

Yay for reading!

By: Rachel Langston

Rachel Langston — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 15:40:07 +0000

So far today, I have read the Sunday paper, my e-mail and a couple of news sites on the Internet.

I am reading 2 books, “Little Heathens” (Mildred Kalish) and “Austenland” (Shannon Hale) with at least 2 more waiting on my bedside table. Sunday is usually my self-proclaimed “reading day” when I use all my spare time to read, read, read!

As a writer, I read for enjoyment and for inspiration. I am very intrigued by the combinations of words that other writers use. Also, I think I owe it to my own writing to be as well “read” as possible.

Rachel Langston

By: Deb

Deb — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 14:59:50 +0000

@Sandy – I have a magazine addiction too but I promised my husband I’d nip it in the bud. So I subscribe to a few and read the rest when I bring my son to science or book club at the library.

Everyone has such great and diverse taste! Writers love to read a lot!

By: Sandy

Sandy — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 14:41:37 +0000

I’m currently reading “Strangers in Death” by J.D. Robb (Nora Roberts) and Jeffrey Archer’s “A Prisoner of Birth.”

I also subscribe to about 20 magazines, on everything from writing to wine to travel. (don’t ask; it’s out of control.)