A lot of writing advice says that in order to be a writer you have to read a lot. I love reading, but something that's been bothering me lately is the sheer number of books I feel I ought to read (or feel I ought to have read) in order to be a good writer.
Does anyone else feel overwhelmed by the number of books they feel they ought to have read, or is it just me? If so, how do you deal with this? How would you prioritize the list above? Do other writers have strategies for planning what you read, or do you read whatever strikes you fancy at the moment?
- The classics of my genre (science fiction and fantasy), especially those that are similar to what I'm writing.
- The latest books and stories in my genre, again especially those similar to my own work.
- The classics of literature generally.
- Non-fiction on a wide range of subjects, so I'll have material to put in my work.
Does anyone else feel overwhelmed by the number of books they feel they ought to have read, or is it just me? If so, how do you deal with this? How would you prioritize the list above? Do other writers have strategies for planning what you read, or do you read whatever strikes you fancy at the moment?