I've significantly cut back on the number of stories I read lately with the idea that I should be writing. not reading, as I stumble my way to actually finishing a story.
In part I rationalize this by telling myself:
- this is to avoid inadvertently plagiarizing someone
- partly time constraints
- part some possibly misguided notion that this helps my own originality
- and I'm sure part laziness
I'm curious to hear the thoughts of authors on this....
I'm the opposite. I think reading the work of others helps my own writing.
What about it did I enjoy? What did they do well? How did they do it? Paying attention to those things will hopefully influence my own writing and make my stories all the better for it.
Similarly, I also look at stories with a critical eye. What didn't I like? How could they have improved it? I try and learn something from it. At the risk of sounding like an ass, I find it easier to see the flaws in somebody else's work. Then I try to avoid those same things in my own writing.
I'm not too worried about ripping anyone off. I've got my own stories in mind, and will follow that path. If I can learn a lesson, or borrow a word or two to expand my own vocabulary, then great. Sometimes though, the premis of someone else's story might trigger an idea in my own mind, like the post-apocalyptic world of Milik_The_Red's Survivor series. But that'll be a later story, not the one I'm writing now, or even next. And it'll be my end of the world scenario, not his. How many bachelor party gangbang stories are out there? Not enough, I know, but it's the telling rather than the tale.
I am a great procrastinator though, hence my appearance here in the forums when I should be finishing off my latest story. But I try and limit myself to reading just one or two stories a day. I get my fix, I get myself into the mindset of writing, and then I get on with my own.
My latest story is a racy little piece about what happens when someone cute from work invites you over to watch Netflix and Chill. I don't enjoy reading that much and I never have. I did what I had to at uni but I didn't enjoy it.
I think reading is a bit of a skill that I don't have. I did enjoy reading 'Nailing Neeley' by Jaymal and 'Hard Candy' by Dancing Doll, but they are exceptions. I know there's so many great writers on here and I know I must be missing out, but that's me.
I've always been interested in the nuts and bolts of English - grammar, conjugation and such like. Sometimes I think I don't see the big picture.
In contrast I love writing and, like my last story, I find myself getting very turned on by my own work. I can actually see the characters and feel like I'm an invisible spectator, rather than just a detached element, writing the story.
