Read everything you can.

Please excuse my absence; I am deep into editing the last half of my novel. Since I tend to write by reading from the beginning, even though I am writing the third, fourth, fifth chapter, the first half of my novel is well edited. At some point that becomes difficult though and I am now editing the 'less gone over' part of my book, so my writing here is more sporadic.

I am a reader. Set it in front of me and I will read it. But, when I began writing my youth fantasy novel, I was afraid to read any more fantasies, as I was afraid I would inadvertently steal from someone. Do not be afraid of that. It’s like they say, there is nothing new.

This Christmas, Gaffer gave me two Terry Pratchett books to read and I was hooked. Low and behold, the third one I picked up had a small section of something that is similar to a very important object in my work and that is when I decided that you do not need to worry about stealing from an author, when you are writing. What you need to do is learn from them.

I would be working on a sculpture, something new and dynamic no one has ever done before (I thought) and the very next issue of one of my Ceramic/Clay magazines would arrive, and there would be something very similar to what I was creating. In other words, everything has been done. You just have to find a way to do it in a unique way.

The art adage is “steal it, don’t borrow it.” This means to take an idea and do it in your own unique way. And, I think it is finally dawning on me that the more you read, even as you write, the more other authors will influence your writing in a good way.

With Pratchett, it’s the way he turns a phrase and the things he relates to other items that I would never think to do and yet it’s just brilliant. He is a master at the Simile and Metaphor.

With Rowling, it is the way she draws you into her world immediately and how you identify with her characters. I can get so lost in her books that I barely know what is going on around me.

So, read everything you can get your hands on, but only after your writing hours because that has to come first.