Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Fired by Reading

"Reading usually precedes writing and the impulse to write is almost always fired by reading. Reading, the love of reading, is what makes you dream of becoming a writer. "
~ Susan Sontag
 

This quote is definitely true for me. The more I read great books, the more I long to write them. Some books almost hurt cuz they're so good, ya know?  Inkheart, Fablehaven, Maze Runner, The Ranger's Apprentice . . .

What are some of those books for you?

24 comments:

Natalie Aguirre said...

That quote's so true for me too. And I loved Inkheart. I also love so many other books--Harry Potter, Shiver & all of Maggie Stiefvater's books, Magik by Angie Sage, Melissa Marr's books, etc., I could go on forever.

Jessica Bell said...

Yep. Spot on. I always feel inspired after reading Margaret Atwood. And one Australian author I recently discovered named Magdalena Ball. Their books make me want to write all the time.

Tracy said...

Sooo true! Nothing inspires me to push past a tough spot and fire up the laptop the way reading a really good plot twist does!

Old Kitty said...

Fab quote and great post!! I read as widely as I can - it's about the only thing that keeps my brain ticking over! Yay! As for books - sooooooo many...!!! :-)Take care
x

Sophia said...

The ones that really make me want to write are fantasies with awesome food scenes in them: Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Harry Potter, Name of the Wind. I haven't figured out what that says about me. Then there's just the stuff that's beautifully written. It's strange, I most love reading plot-driven stories but it's beautiful writing that makes me want to write.
- Sophia.

Laura Pauling said...

How about the book I just read? Revolution by Jennifer donnely. Incredible!

S.A. Larsenッ said...

I couldn't agree more. Sometimes while I read, that little quiver inside my gut builds to where I have to put the book down and write something. I love how reading fuels that.

Laura S. said...

That is such a true, perfect quote! I wanted to be a writer since I was really little, ever since I could read on my own. For early readers, I adored the Berenstain Bears and Amelia Bedelia then I moved on to Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House books and Beverly Cleary, Louis Sachar, Judy Blume, Jerry Spinelli, and many other wonderful authors. So I don't know for sure what book necessarily sealed the deal for me as an aspiring writer, but I remember falling head over heels in love with the Anne of Green Gables series when I was 8 so maybe that was the moment!

Courtney Barr - The Southern Princess said...

So so true and such a wonderful quote! Oh the books that inspired me...there were so many. Like Laura I was an Anne of Green Gables fan. I loved Nancy Drew, Babs, and Judy Blume.My older siblings were bringing home literature books and at a very young age I was reading Faulkner, Dickinson, Frost, Shakespeare, Austen and Keats. My mother did not know what to do with her youngest daughter acting out the Scarlet Letter on the front lawn!(seriously)I was asking about things that she had hoped to stave off until I was well into my teens but I read so much that the level of reading grew much faster than I did. But what sold me on wanting to write was An Old Fashioned Girl. Alcott was something I devoured - every book she wrote has a home at my home. Her characters made me mad, made me laugh and cry. I wanted to do that to people! lol What a joy it is to read and explore...

storyqueen said...

I am now re-reading Deathly Hallows in prep for the movie.

Nothing makes me want to write more than a good dose of JK Rowling.

Shelley

Robyn Campbell said...

Love the quote, bff. And I sooo agree. For me, Black Beauty, The Black Stallion, anything Lois Lowry, anything PJ Hoover. And a few others. YOU'VE BEEN TAGGED. If you choose to accept this then great, if you choose not to accept it...Mwa ha ha ha MUAH!

Anonymous said...

Reading great books makes me want to write better. I love getting those shivers and tingles, and not being able to pry myself from a book.

Rebecca T. said...

That is so so so so true! I had the chance to read Shatter Me and then immediately read Possession and was consumed with the need to work on the dystopian I had shelved a couple years ago!

I love great quotes like that :)

Heather said...

Some of my favorite books that inspire me are MISTWOOD and THE VESPERTINE. The writing is beautiful, almost lyrical.

Tales of Whimsy said...

I need to read Inkheart. I loved the film.

Tales of Whimsy said...

I adored the Uglies series.

Kadie Kinney said...

This is so true. I just finished reading "The Help" and have been completely inspired for my WIP, even though the subject matter is COMPLETELY different. (It's set in Montana, by the way. I lived in Bozeman for 2 years). Thanks for sharing this quote!

Janet Johnson said...

Reading definitely reminds me why I put myself through this. :)

Great quote!

Liz @ Cleverly Inked said...

I loved Inkheart. That actually turned me back on to YA. :)

BTW, Sorry for not stopping by recently. I miss your site and all of your adventures. BP was time consuming.

Theresa Milstein said...

What a quote. I'm sharing it on FB.

Harry Potter - I think I've read the series 3 times. The Hunger Games (book 1 only). The Healing Spell. The Higher Power of Lucky. Ida B.

The first one made me want to be a writer. The others have pushed me to write better.

Jemi Fraser said...

Me too! And you named some of my faves. I'd add in The Giver, Lightning Thief, Hunger Games, Possession, Dogsled Dreams...

Stephanie Thornton said...

I'm reading almost exclusively historical fiction this year--Kate Quinn's Daughters of Rome and Mistress of Rome were excellent. And I adore Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden.

Cynthia Chapman Willis said...

I love that quote! It's so true. Reading does inspire me to write. When I hit a rut of any kind, I turn to my books, often rereading my favorite passages. This, of course, in addition to whatever new novel I'm plowing through.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Shannon .. so right - I loved reading for the first twenty years of my life .. and though I haven't read as much since - now I am a voracious reader of all sorts and then get inspiration from all walks of life with the aim of educating myself and thus my posts are highlights of my enjoyment.

Cheers - have a great weekend ..

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