So. Something happens when you start writing: You start reading differently, too. I already kind of knew that since I'm a book critic - and reading for fun and reading to critique something are two very different things. When you read for fun, you (I) read to get a look into another world, to get a break from reality, or perhaps even to escape it (the story of my childhood). As a "professional" reader, you read to be able to form an opinion which then hopefully enables your reader to decide whether she wants to buy the book or not. Both kinds of reading is fun AND interesting.
Reading as a writer is just plain annoying, though. You start noticing things like personal pronouns (if there's more than one "he" in a sentence, do they all point back to the same person?), plot coherency (does our hero just have to go out into the woods alone, even if it's the most idiotic decision ever made - just to make the plot work?) - or simply the difference between the Oxford comma and the AP Stylebook comma (and that's just plain stupid to pay attention to). It does have the advantage of making you a better writer, though, so I guess I just have to toughen up. Or to ignore all those wayward personal pronouns.
Lucia
2/19/2011 13:22:18
Reading this makes me happy I'm only a reader :P I can already think a lot while reading a book *mostly about grammatical errors* and if I would even start to think everytime I read ,,he'' I would go nuts! I do think for a writer it is very useful to think about those kind of questions while reading a book, it can only make your own work better :)
CB Conwy
2/19/2011 13:42:41
It is slightly nuts-making:) Sometimes you just get too clever for your own good... Comments are closed.
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CB Conwy
I read and I write - everything from corporate to kink. My naughty fictional friends are always there to make my life interesting. And pester me, of course. Pesky creatures. Archives
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