What Should Writers Read--A Debate

In September, I had the honor of hearing Jane Yolen speak, and this week I had the opportunity to read an article in the Washington Post about my mentor and friend, and author of Octavian Nothing Part's One and Two, M. T. Anderson.

And here's my question for all your writers out there. What do you read when you are working on a novel?

Here's what the Washington Post said about my friend, Tobin, M. T. Anderson, " He was so obsessed with getting Octavian's voice right that for the better part of six years, he restricted his reading to books written in or relating to the 18th century." http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/28/AR2008112802766.html

And when I heard Jane Yolen speak at the New School in New York City she said when she was in the midst of writing a particular book, she would avoid all other books in that genre or on that topic. (My words not hers, so don't quote me, but its the gist of what I remember). So here we have two great authors who chose a very different route. Jane Yolen's point was she was afraid some of the other author's writing would slip into her voice.

I wish I was that good of a listener, or mimic. I can imagine reading, "Beckie Weinheimer's writing has a familiar ring, a voice similar to that of Laurie Halse Anderson in her popular award winning novel Speak," or better yet, Ms. Weinheimer's voice is sweet, and strong and sure, much ike that of Haper Lee's in her classic To Kill A Mockingbird." Nope. Isn't happening for me.

The voice inside my head seems sadly to be my own, for better or worse, and so like M. T. Anderson, I surround myself in literature from the period, or genre that I am writing about. But not to the extent that M. T. Anderson did. I do allow myself the occasional other book. And since I am normally working on more than one project at a time, right now an adult contemporary drama, and a time travel book to Victorian England, my reading is broad and varied. I'm reading a lot of George Elliot, Charles Dickens, and historical books like Ellen Howard's Gate in the Wall, Phillip Pullman's Ruby in the Smoke series, and any others I can get my hands on. I am not forcing myself to read them so my writing will be better, rather, I am drawn to these books because my mind is on the same subject or time period, or place.

And since I have read few "adult" books in my life, and am making my first attempt at an adult novel I am reading the award winners, and mysteries, (my adult book has a lot of twists and turns) and having a blast doing it. And I think all this reading is helping my writing. I don't think I'm stealing the other writer's voices but its more like a travel experience for me, the book takes me to the place I want to learn more about anyway and does make my writing richer. I may read about some law in Victorian England that I knew nothing about, so I google it and research and suddenly I have a whole new scene or idea for my novel. That's how it works for me.

So what's your point of view on the subject?

To read or not to read?

Let me know! Comments welcome!

*Photo is a church in the tiny coastal town of Penally, Wales, where my great great great grandfather was baptized and which inspired my whole time travel story. Being able to travel to Wales and visit this ancient stone church while reading my ggg grandfather's diary written in the mid 1800's may be the closest I'll ever get to time travel. :)