Do you have to be an avid reader to be a writer?

I also love to read and I see you like to write about love and spirituality, books I like to read and similar to mine except mine is also suspense. Though you don't have to everything, I am in the process of editing my first book and am learning that to read other authors, especially ones that are similar to your genre, can help you in your writing. I am reading a book now called "the weekend novelist" and it has many ideas, except most of the book they take from, I never heard..lol... So do you have anything published?

Hello, Meggshere, and welcome to MyLot. No, you don't have to be an avid reader to be a writer, but the more you read, the more you broaden your spectrum of knowledge, and the more scope you have for your writing. Something you may not have considered is a point the head of the English department made to me when I was being interviewed for a place on a BA course as a mature student. I explained that English Literature was my first choice, but I fancied combining it with History. However, as I wanted to do more writing, I thought it may be more beneficial to study English Language. He said just as you didn't need to be a mechanic to drive a car, you didn't need to study words to be a writer. This is the important bit - he also said that the best way to improve your writing was to study the great writers and analyse why their writing was so good, and then apply the same principles to your own writing. It's something I'd never have thought of, but it makes sense.

i think it helps because you can see other people's style of writing if you read different authors.

You know funnily enough I was thinking the other day that I should read more so that I can writer better. I write fiction, and stories based on my life, and the love I have with my husband. Even if I don't actually pen them down, they are in my heart and in my mind. I read fiction, but I have read and enjoyed non fiction before. I like isnpirational pieces as well, sometimes they are based on fiction, sometimes on truth, but inspiration is inspriation and as long as it kindle's the heart and soul, it's done it's job.

I don't think that you necessarily have to be an avid reader. But I do think that it helps you as a writer if you are an avid reader. I really do think that it's beneficial. I find that being an avid reader helps me as a writer.

I don't think you necessarily have to be a reader to be a good writer, but it definately helps. For instance, say you really want to write a story set in ancient Greece. Well, you'd have to read up on anciend Greek mythology, culture, etc etc... So, no, I don't think it's a requirement, just an advantage.

I don't think you have to read about everything to write about what interests you. You should have a working knowledge about what you are writing about. If I were to write about a place I've never been, I would read some about it and look at a map at the very least.

I think you need to be an avid reader to be a good writer. You don't have to read every kind of genre there is, or even have a vast understanding of everything... but you do need to spend a good amount of time reading other's work. I think everyone who wants to be a published writer should be reading at least 50 books every year. What books? Any kind of books... just as long as they're reading. Reading expands your knowledge and introduces you to new ideas and new ways of writing. Reading the work of others is a great way to find out what works and what doesn't work in your own writing. Personally, I don't think I could have ever become a writer if it wasn't for my avid reading. Reading has helped ignite my imagination in ways nothing else can. Besides, isn't it really hypocritical to want others to read your work if you don't do any reading yourself?

i'm thinking not necessarily but it can definitely help. with reading you will be exposed to different writing styles, your vocabulary will also expand.

When I discovered that I have a skill in writing short stories and poems, I don't really consider reading as an effective way to improve more my writing. I'm not really so fond of reading, but during the time when my teacher advice to read novels, though I find it tiresome, I tried it. Now, I can't stop myself from reading books. I'm having fun reading books and I realized that it can help in improving my writing skills.

I think writting comes from the heart. If you really want to write, it shouldn't matter where the stuff comes from. Only that it comes from "somewhere". Of course it depends on what you're doing it for. If its a hobby, then sure... doesn't matter. However if you're making a career out of it you need to be an advid reader. Push yourself, and work tward your own personal goals. But, that's just me. I write, but I also read. Not as much, but I do it for fun.

Hello, is so, although we have a bit of general culture, the way we develop an idea relies heavily on our thinking and analyzing of things.

Of course you do not have to, but I think it helps a lot. I read a lot and I think it both gives me a lot of ideas and improves my writing skills. But it is not a must in any way, just an advantage!

I think that people who read a lot have an advantage over people that barely read at all, in all sorts of areas, like: grammer, spelling, high level words and even global knowledge. But I believe that people who don't read that often can write as good as those who do read with a little extra research about the said topic plus there are special programs that correct the grammer and spelling automatically. Also I would like to add that some people are just birth gifted with outstanding writing skills.

hi, megsshere, I don't know whether you have to be an avid reader to be a writer. But I know very well that good writers are avid readers.

It is a must! Nothing is new under the sun and it's a sad assumption that is always mistook as a norm to think that original work and original concepts are as common as anything. If you want to write about something, then you have to at least be well versed in something. You have to know what a good story is all about, how to tell a good story, and how to make your idea unique enough to be interesting. This all sounds like a lot of work, but really, writing is a lot of work. Reading and writing, like most forms of art, are mediums in which we communicate. It just so happens that reading *and* writing are forms that communicate with each other. A lot of great writers were influenced by other works of art that existed before them (and even until now). J.K. Rowling read "A Little White Horse" when she was a child, a novel that I read when I was younger. "A Little White Horse" is a great children's novel and is just as classic as Harry Potter might be. If you look at the prominent writers today, you can see that they have read a lot of other writers' works. In fact, a lot of these writers studied literature, and carrying this university degree entails a LOT of reading. I'm a writer as well, though I haven't written books. I've been published in journals and in a print magazine that I helped establish. I find my inspiration from the various books I read, and the people I want to write about. I do feel pressured just walking through an aisle of books. I feel that there a just SO many books to read but I have my own set of stories to write.

It's not mandatory to be an avid reader,but it helps in penning down the ideas if one reads a lot of books.Good understanding is required about the specific topic you are going to write about.In order to achieve that one must read,discuss and analyse.Alternately writing on love,romance,feelings are more subjective and realative.There are other topics like literature,history,technology which require reading on the subject.

Yes, I believe so if you plan to sell your work to publishers to have it published. Or, it depends on what kind of subject you want to write about and what kind of readers you have in mind. But if you want to write just for the sake of writing, to read more for research purposes would become unnecessary- I guess.... However, in order to relate and write better, you need to gather as much materials as you can to be able to come up with a very brilliant well composed story. But, in your case, I believe you have an inborn talent for writing. I wish you success!

In my opioion, the more you read, the better work you write. As they said, everything links with each other. whatever you read will affect your writing. Keeping reading, you will find you get reward one day.

i think that you need to be good reader inorder to write books,but u should also have the talent,knowledge and real life experience to be a good writer.Reading is essential to be a good writer..In fact all famous writers are good readers..