Bill Ramsey, author and recently appointed member of the NCWN Board of Trustees is from Henderson County, NC. He sent in this essay from an original collection entitled "What do you Think?" which is forthcoming in November 2015.
Who Reads and Why?
Reading a good book is enjoyed by many people. We could say most people but that might be stretching the truth. Some people cannot read and others simply have not done enough of it to find it enjoyable.
Over time and with enough books having been read, folks come to favor one genre or two over others. They select from history, biography, self-help, psychology, science, medicine, cooking (paired with dieting), business, poetry or romance novels.
Polls indicate that the median number of books read per year is six. An avid reader reads many more, fifteen books or more per year. They have a book or two going most of the time. As shown at Vocabulary.com , Avid is from French avide, from Latin avidus, from avere "to desire, crave." Desire and crave would easily describe an avid reader. When waiting for an airplane, a doctor appointment, a major delay on a highway or any other several minute block of time, their books fly open.
How can we identify a reader? We don't have to see an open book in the hands of a reader. They don't have to say to us, "I am a reader." They don't need auto bumper stickers or lettered tee shirts to broadcast the fact. We know them when we converse with them because they are more broadly aware, well spoken, interesting and interested.
Writers are avid readers for additional reasons. They will tell you that reading the books of others is not only a form of enjoyment but is necessary in learning how to improve one's own writing. Reading the work of other authors builds vocabulary, style awareness and story line development.
No legitimate writer reads the work of others to plagiarize or to copy anything about the approach used by others. To do anything like that would not only be unethical, it would not be much fun. Readers are aware when they are reading original and honest writing.
When I am not writing I am reading. When I am not reading I am writing. If given dual and parallel lives to live, one would be used to read and write and the other for everything else. Admitting to an addiction is step one in attaining a cure. See the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous . Like many people, I am addicted to reading and writing. There, I've said it. But don't look for me to seek counseling as this addiction is one I plan to feed.
This copyright preview essay is from an original collection entitled "What Do You Think?" which will be available in November, 2015.
Bill, once I began to study writing years ago and teach writing, I find I "read like a writer" and often find myself overthinking what I read. I used to read simply for the story and the characters. Now I read to learn what the author is doing and why.
ReplyDeleteGood essay here.