Question Home

Position:Home>Books & Authors> Is it important to be a voracious reader to be a writer?


Question: Is it important to be a voracious reader to be a writer!?
my love for writing and language really comes from watching movies all my life!. i usually get positive reviews for my writings!. i try to work at it, make it better!. but i get turned off by most books, especially the classics and would rather watch a movie!. should i develop reading skills, or just watch more movies!?Www@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
Do whatever makes you happier!. Don't try and force yourself to like books purely because it's what writers are supposed to do!. There are no necessities to being a writer about from passion + talent!. There is no brief that says 'read hundreds of novels'!. Movies can have just as much beauty in them as a books so I say go for what makes you happy!.
If you have a real interest in movies though I say you should think about scriptwriting!. Then you can call watching movies 'research' for your own and one day you could even watch something that you created!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

to be a writer yes you need to read so much, but to be a good writer you also need to read and create ideas through your readings!. A good writer doesn't read like anybody and doesn't see the world like ordinary people see it!. It is maybe a gift; it is art!. so, inspiration does not come only from movies or books only but from life and from everything you live, experience and witness!. It is more a gift than a skill and it depends on your independence in looking at everything, be it a movie, a book or a scene from reality!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Develop your reading skills, read autobiographies, good ones, not trashy ex movie stars selling on a name,but history on a personal level, and write, even if you throw it out, write write and write, one day it will come to you, save it all or delete if YOU think it is trash, but keep on writing!. Until you are mildly satisfied, dont show anyone your writings or they will think you've lost it!. You and only you will know when you strike the right cord!. Good luck, and keep on writing!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

It certainly wouldn't hurt!. But if you want to write screen plays then watching a movie is good to!. I think that to be a good writer you need to be in touch what what is out there!. It also helps you with ideas, grammar, spelling and maturity in your writing!. By reading good books you can also see what sells!.

If you just want to write in order to write then keep doing what your doing, but if you want to sell!. It wont hurt to read a few books a year!. If you find it boring put it away and find another one!. Find the books that you relate to!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

same here I quote from films all the time and have trouble reading a fictional book [but im dyslexic]!.

Literacy/the alphabet/reading is very new in terms of human history - it only really came to the masses with the printing press and not to women till very late!.

We use to be very pictorial/image based or right hemisphere oriented and this side of our brain is very creative and is responsible for art and music etc,whereas reading predominantly requires the left hemisphere!.


Watch all the films you like if thats where you get the best emotional response what matters most to me in reading the writing of others is not their construction but their emotional content!.You may be a wonderful screenwriter!.Films are like drama/theatre which came before books!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

maybe you'll be a playwrite or a screenwriter one day!.

if writing is your passion then you should do whatever you can to continue to fuel that passion!. reading does open up a different world though than just a movie!.

it is inherently more descriptive and verbal!. there are many things on a screen that do not need to be said out loud that must be written in book, like tears, or an embrace!.

maybe you just need to start with the writers that you like and expand from there!. one of my always favorites is kurt Vonnegut!. he has a short story called Harrison Bergeron that you could read!. his most acclaimed novel is slaughter house five!. he is magnificent and i love everything he says!.
or try to pick books about a topic that interests you, like vampires, or apocolypse, volcanoes or physics!.

one of my absolute favorite books is ender's game!. it's like a movie in my head! every time i read it, it's honestly mind bending!. it's probably one of the best books of the century!.

you could read the new teen popular books like harry potter and twilight, thsoe my help you get into the mind set of reading!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I hope not, i wana b a writer has well but i don't read!. In fact i find books hard to read but i read screenplays online n i find dem a breeze but i do hav 1 problem, spelling maybe coz i dont read!. I downloaded dis free screenwriting program Celtx but da dictionary is limitd and does not work well and dat gives me problem!. So maybe yes for spelling yes!. The best thing to do is wryt, wryt , wryt n wryt!. BTW try to stay away from texting english it meks ur spelling worse Www@QuestionHome@Com

Develop the reading skills dear!. It is most important that you read widely, just for the sake of your general well being and looking after your brain!. Read some more modern books if you don't like classics!. Try reading 'My Brother Jack' by George Johnson!. You need to learn to distinguish between good writing and bad writing!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

In a word YES!. If not you would be the first!Www@QuestionHome@Com