tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7779997262227613456.post8530852659791378600..comments2024-03-23T02:57:31.362-07:00Comments on Authors, Kai Strand & LA Dragoni: Why Writers Should Read A LotKai Strand, Authorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10012304963642303041noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7779997262227613456.post-27356372715712592742015-01-20T10:03:25.135-08:002015-01-20T10:03:25.135-08:00Excellent point, Laurel. I don't read much non...Excellent point, Laurel. I don't read much non-fiction, so I often forget to consider it. But reading is reading no matter how long. You are still achieving the same take-away on craft, also. <br /><br />Brava for overcoming your sight challenge and persevering in your writing. Kai Strand, Authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10012304963642303041noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7779997262227613456.post-31532891131093161342015-01-20T09:36:37.779-08:002015-01-20T09:36:37.779-08:00Most people interpret "reading" here as ...Most people interpret "reading" here as reading BOOKS. But it really does not have to be. I am a research-centric writer -- this goes with writing non fiction history. So I am always READING -- just not NOVELS. I read news articles, scientific journals, academic papers, and so forth. Most of it is short (I am low vision; my eyes will not tolerate more than 5-10 pages at a time) so I can rest my eyes and take care of my health.<br /><br />And I believe I am reaping exactly the same benefits and probably more by doing it this way instead of reading novels.Laurel A. Rockefellerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07178229757568070783noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7779997262227613456.post-71634246052828426842015-01-20T08:08:50.959-08:002015-01-20T08:08:50.959-08:00Yep, it might take us a bit longer to slog through...Yep, it might take us a bit longer to slog through it when we don't like it, but at least it can be made worth our while. Kai Strand, Authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10012304963642303041noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7779997262227613456.post-38535613556909398062015-01-20T05:06:39.174-08:002015-01-20T05:06:39.174-08:00Great advice, Kai! I truly believe a lot can be le...Great advice, Kai! I truly believe a lot can be learned by reading books we don't enjoy. Thanks for sharing.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09179338199224761532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7779997262227613456.post-87593166617378234202015-01-19T09:58:43.401-08:002015-01-19T09:58:43.401-08:00Uh - great place to start! Lol. But yes, we need t...Uh - great place to start! Lol. But yes, we need to witness the bad, too. Kai Strand, Authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10012304963642303041noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7779997262227613456.post-20718839615490199082015-01-19T08:59:19.232-08:002015-01-19T08:59:19.232-08:00I've learned a lot from reading. In the beginn...I've learned a lot from reading. In the beginning, everything I knew about writing was from reading books by Nora Roberts and J.K. Rowling.Chrys Feyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11955009490266358041noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7779997262227613456.post-45262708693025678482015-01-19T08:49:02.813-08:002015-01-19T08:49:02.813-08:00Yep, even if you only read until you figure out wh...Yep, even if you only read until you figure out why it isn't working. If it is simply because you don't like the main character's personality - then toss it aside. That's a personal preference. But if it is because of a predictability or lack of building suspense - then it's good to identify that and then toss it aside. Kai Strand, Authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10012304963642303041noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7779997262227613456.post-16617935445515647242015-01-19T08:45:52.153-08:002015-01-19T08:45:52.153-08:00Yep, once you are steeped in books written for you...Yep, once you are steeped in books written for your intended audience, it is important to step outside that zone. You can learn to add suspense to a fantasy by reading mysteries. You can learn to add angst by reading issues books. Oh my gosh, for some reason I feel like such a book geek right now. Snort.Kai Strand, Authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10012304963642303041noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7779997262227613456.post-67148765280439990572015-01-19T08:40:57.702-08:002015-01-19T08:40:57.702-08:00Great point, Kai. I've started to read books a...Great point, Kai. I've started to read books and put them down after the first couple of chapters...when I should have stopped and analyzed why it wasn't working! Gee, you may have me picking up those books for a second look.Rita Monette, Writerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11008739873911008728noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7779997262227613456.post-35448397683823159032015-01-19T08:37:03.954-08:002015-01-19T08:37:03.954-08:00So true, Kai! I've been feeling a little lackl...So true, Kai! I've been feeling a little lackluster about a lot of my reading lately too. Not sure why, but it does work to show a writer what not to do. One of my reading goals this year is to step out of my usual reading habits and try some new things. Maybe that will help inspire my own writing in unexpected ways. Katie L. Carrollhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13261567983919353142noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7779997262227613456.post-66570550464644099652015-01-19T08:26:01.001-08:002015-01-19T08:26:01.001-08:00There is always something to learn or re-learn, is...There is always something to learn or re-learn, isn't there? Glad I could give you a new outlook to the less thrilling reads. :)Kai Strand, Authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10012304963642303041noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7779997262227613456.post-11170370453344961602015-01-19T06:33:26.432-08:002015-01-19T06:33:26.432-08:00Good point, Kai. I never thought about it that way...Good point, Kai. I never thought about it that way. I'll look at those books I just can't get into in a different way now and see what I can learn from them. No matter how long a person has been writing, there's always something new. Thanks.Beverly Stowe McClurehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02176195451841801819noreply@blogger.com