How do you balance writing and reading?

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How do you balance writing and reading?

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1hailandclimb
Nov. 15, 2012, 11:39 am

I just self-published two books (A Deconstructed Heart and A Change in the Weather), and the effort required to market them is very time-consuming. I actually can't wait to have the promotional season come to an end so that I can write again, but I am also jealous of people who have free time to read anything they want. I want to do it all! How do you manage?

2WholeHouseLibrary
Nov. 16, 2012, 2:33 am

That's a rather large presumption -- that it's something that can be managed.
There was a time when I could have three or four books going (reading) at once, and I didn't need a bookmark to know where to pick up again.
As it is now, it takes me months to read a book.
I manage a writing group that meets every Saturday, and do freelance editing pretty much as a full-time gig now. Yay, me. The downside of that is it keeps me from doing any creative writing of my own any more. There's always someone else's story in my head.
My pleasure reading is decidedly non-fiction, as my workday is spent copyediting and proofreading fantasy, mostly.

3oldstick
Nov. 16, 2012, 10:07 am

What is a 'promotional season?' Is it the three months that publishers say a book can stay in the public eye or is it to do with Summer and Winter? I am still promoting my books after five years. That's a long season!

4GaryBabb
Nov. 16, 2012, 11:59 am

I wish I knew the answer to this question. I certainly don't have the answer. I love to read, but since I began writing, my reading has suffered dramatically. Sometimes, however, I just put my writing on hold and devote time to reading. I think a balance of reading and writing needs to exist.

5hailandclimb
Nov. 16, 2012, 2:32 pm

Yup, wrong choice of word! I'm hoping things die down after this weekend, at least enough so I can think about writing again, before I get back on the hamster wheel of twitters, facebook posts, and generally being annoying.

6LauraJWRyan
Nov. 16, 2012, 7:22 pm

It is a delicate balance. I simply pick a time, a place, and read a good book every day, even if it's just a few pages (many times, I'm so dead-dog tired my eyes close and my mind starts making up shit that isn't there, and I wake myself up and say: "That's not in the book.") When I'm not dead-dog tired, I treasure the reading of books and buying of books almost as much as writing my books. As for promoting what I've published...well, I keep a light touch on the line...no sense in running myself ragged, that'll do no good for me or for my books. If they sell, great, I have a little money in my pocket (YAY!) If they don't sell, I've learned not to lose my head over it, this isn't life or death. I've learned to be realistic about self-publishing my books...it is understood that I have limited funds, limited time, and I'm not going to drive myself crazy, wringing my hands over promoting my books. Everyone has to find their way in this, and this is what works for me. I'm happy. I'm reading to feed my brain with good words, and I'm writing to take care of that hungry little light inside of me that wants to tell a story. It's all good.

7ABVR
Nov. 17, 2012, 12:19 am

I read in places where it would be awkward to pull out my laptop, or too chaotic to focus on writing if I did . . . when I'm eating by myself, when I'm in a vehicle I'm not driving, when I'm waiting for something or someone. And I read during the parts of the day when I know from experience I shouldn't be trying to compose or edit . . . especially after about 9:00 PM.
I also get to "cheat" some, because -- as someone who writes academic non-fiction -- I'm more or less daily reading in support of my next project(s).

Given the size of my TBR pile and Wishlist, though, I'm not sure I'd claim that all that actually constitutes "finding balance!"

8strath
Jan. 8, 2013, 1:06 pm

Man, I don't. There is a reading muse and a writing muse hiding in the dark spaces of my soul. Which ever one wins the moment sweeps up and makes me do things.

9Hayduke2000
Jan. 8, 2013, 2:06 pm

Reading is as important to writing as is research, contemplation and time. I never go anywhere without a book in hand, always catch any moment possible to read.

Life without reading is only half a life.

10Katrinia17
Jan. 14, 2013, 4:48 am

I too have struggled with this in the past and found that I was doing one or the other. But it wasn't just reading or writing. At times I noticed I was either reviewing or writing, editing or reading and so on. In the end I realized that there HAD to be balance or nothing was going to get finished and I would eventually burn out. All area's come with a want and a need and in my opinion it is that want and need that makes each area important to me so, finding a balance and fitting everything in is just as equally important as the task at hand.

Everyday I set a goal to write 1,000 words and read 50 pages. Of course there are times in which I will write 2,000 words or 3,000 words and spend nearly 2 hours doing so. Or, there may be times in which I read 100 pages or finish a book in one day, reading 300 pages. On those days when I can sit aside extra time to do so, I will but as of now I know that no matter what I will get those 50 pages and 1000 words in daily and this is a balance for me.

As to how I do it? I had to wake up earlier every day and start my day reading. I try to get as far as I can and then I take my book with me everywhere and read where ever I can. In the evening, if I haven't met my goal, I turn off the t.v., get off the computer and sit down and read until I do. Then at 10pm every night I begin my writing, knowing that it will take me only 30 mins on average to get it done (sometimes 40 if I have to think something out).

I will be making adjustments to this though since I find that at times I don't want to stop writing and will end up writing and thinking of writing and looking for places to write (like what I'm doing right now) until it ends up being nearly 2am.

And with that note, I'm heading off to bed, because it is nearly 2am.

11Chancelet
Bearbeitet: Jan. 18, 2013, 11:13 pm

I'm learning that too. I've just started using my phone's alarm to schedule in times when I'll write, blog and market. I have a different alarm schedule for each. This is just the second day, but it helps. I do get some writing in, which will hopefully be for a longer period of time as I keep it up. I use the alarms to set the minimum time that I'll do each. If more gets squeezed in, then great.

12brokeartist
Mai 25, 2013, 10:33 pm

I don't know that there is a way to balance those two things. I can't. I wish I could. While I'm working on a book, I feel guilty if I begin reading for pleasure, though I still do it.

13bitser
Mai 29, 2013, 4:10 pm

I read almost every day after stopping work, often with a drink and small bowl of peanuts (to share with the doggo). My favourite reading spot is the bath, which makes e-readers problematical. I have less reading time now than when I used to spend winters in snowbound cabins and summers living in a tent while at work.

While I'm writing a book, I read things that put me in the mood for it: sometimes as sources or research material, or simply writing from the era and the place, to get the atmosphere and voice into my imaginative realm.

14Holly_Dae
Jun. 7, 2013, 11:34 am

As a college student, I do more reading in a semester than I care to. As a result though, I'm starting to get more well read in both the classics and contemporary stuff. Since I do all my reading in the two main semesters, this summer I'm taking the time to take some of what I've learned through reading and focus on my writing while at the same time trying to drive hits to my blog and increase sales on my books.

It's a juggling act, but I've found that I'm more prone to write at the library and get a good amount out and do marketing at home.

15rchapman1
Jul. 9, 2013, 1:46 am

I read as a reward after spending time on the computer!

16MorrisE.Graham
Jan. 2, 2015, 11:59 am

The only time I can read is my long commute to my "day job." I listen to about one audiobook a week and review it on Amazon. It helps a lot to hear how other authors do it.

Best regards, Morris

17LheaJLove
Jan. 10, 2015, 10:41 pm

WOW! I'm so glad someone posted this question. I've been having the same problem since I've been writing fiction (and not just poetry)...

Perhaps I will try audiobooks.

Thanks Morris!

18Dbilyk
Jan. 13, 2015, 9:12 pm

I work 10 hours a day, five days a week at my day job. I have recently published a book, I market said book, am writing another and still have to try and find time to read and review books and develop author relationships. That's not even to mention my blog.

I am overwhelmed. There are not enough hours in the day to do everything I want to do, and I find myself coming home after work and sleeping for one to two hours because I'm overwhelmed. I rue the day when publishers figured it was OK to drop their marketing responsibilities and do a whole lot of nothing for their authors. RUE IT I SAY.

Time for a drink.

19ngone
Jan. 28, 2015, 7:18 am

Reading can be overwhelming at times.How do I get to balance between the two?I read Kate Mosse's "Sepulchre" in a year.I guess I'm too lazy when it comes to that.someone give me a few tips

20gilroy
Jan. 28, 2015, 7:21 am

This is the same as establishing "me" time with any other job. You find a block of time that is just for you, for reading. Nothing else. Set a timer if you have to. If you don't like the feel of scheduled reading time, then schedule everything else and fit reading into the gaps that appear.

At least, that's what I do.

21AuthorTomYoung
Feb. 26, 2015, 8:45 am

I've heard many writers say they can't read other authors' work while they're writing. However, I'm always reading something. I find it helps the creative juices flow--and it doesn't matter whether I'm reading fiction or nonfiction. I always have couple of books on my nightstand, whether I'm writing something of my own or not.

22GaryBabb
Feb. 26, 2015, 2:32 pm

I don't like to read anything like what I'm writing. I don't want that author's ideas becoming mine. You might not know it's happening, so I don't want to take a chance.

23Altruistic
Dez. 5, 2017, 6:11 am

Read when you get/to prevent writers block. Write when you're inspired.

24Cecrow
Bearbeitet: Dez. 5, 2017, 8:01 am

I've cut well back on reading from the genre I write in, and increased my reading of other kinds. I'm far too given to critiquing the former and seeing the machinery behind the magic. I get more inspiration from reading outside of it, looking for new flavours and influences to introduce into it. Reading within my genre just makes me look for trope variance, new rearrangements - it's a pretty stale approach.

25KevinMcCabe
Jun. 15, 2019, 1:09 pm

Dieser Benutzer wurde wegen Spammens entfernt.

26TonySandy
Aug. 25, 2019, 1:37 pm

You mean like a pen in one hand and book in the other? Not written much lately but am getting back to reading.