Or, Yes, Read Widely and Write Wildly. (…and yes I said yes I will yes) - I heard it said that "read widely" is bad advice for young writers. I disagree.
Any comment that starts with "you should read this" is likely to have the opposite effect. I find this boring: romance, cozies, chick lit domestic thrillers, shoot-them-ups, superhero fan fic, video game inspired stuff, literary navel gazing ... are there exceptions? Sure, but I won't immerse myself in a genre that makes me yawn. What's the point? Too much to read, too little time. I grew up reading everything I bumped into. I figured out what I liked. It hasn't changed.
Yes, I absolutely agree with you on "you should do this" statements of any sort. Suggestions, "things that worked for me", and "this might help in this situation"-type statements are better, I think.
And I agree with you too that if romance isn't your thing, what's the point?
But you tried romances (as did I...), and they didn't click. The idea though that *not* trying is better than trying as the CBC discussion suggested doesn't sit well with me.
"I grew up reading everything I bumped into." -- to me, that is one way to read widely!
Any comment that starts with "you should read this" is likely to have the opposite effect. I find this boring: romance, cozies, chick lit domestic thrillers, shoot-them-ups, superhero fan fic, video game inspired stuff, literary navel gazing ... are there exceptions? Sure, but I won't immerse myself in a genre that makes me yawn. What's the point? Too much to read, too little time. I grew up reading everything I bumped into. I figured out what I liked. It hasn't changed.
Yes, I absolutely agree with you on "you should do this" statements of any sort. Suggestions, "things that worked for me", and "this might help in this situation"-type statements are better, I think.
And I agree with you too that if romance isn't your thing, what's the point?
But you tried romances (as did I...), and they didn't click. The idea though that *not* trying is better than trying as the CBC discussion suggested doesn't sit well with me.
"I grew up reading everything I bumped into." -- to me, that is one way to read widely!