Let’s Talk Bookish – Writing as a Reader

Aria @ Book Nook Bits is the new host for Let’s Talk Bookish! If you aren’t following her yet, good check out her blog and give her a follow!

November 17: Writing as a Reader

Prompts: What are your favorite kinds of writing? How has being a reader shaped your writing? Are there certain books that have impacted your writing style? How does your reading connect to your writing?

Welcome back another week of LTB here at DTRH, everyone! Today’s topic is about writing, particularly writing style as a fellow reader. No doubt what you read influences what you write, but in what ways?

My favourite kinds of writing are, unsurprisingly, the ones that are written very directly and simply, and really shows off a character’s thoughts to really bring me into the book. Where I want the complexity is in the plot weaving, and how characters can fade in and out of “view” in the story to come together to make an interesting story arc. Those are the kinds of books that really take the cake for me. These are the kinds of styles that really work for me in mysteries and thrillers so I’m always looking for this kind of writing.

However, I think I have recently discovered that this also works with fantasy books and I really enjoyed it. Sometimes the overly flowering language or the extreme descriptions can really take me out of a book (though I feel like sometimes it can work too), so I tend to stray away from books that have sentences that make me really have to think before I even get what they’re saying. I think I take this to heart when I write too. I try not to be too unnecessarily ambiguous, and I generally want to give my direct thoughts over meandering back and forth over something. I want to read clear writing and I want to write clearly, simple as that really.

I don’t think any book in particular has really affected my writing style. But I think through observation and over time I have noticed that there can be a lot of styles that work, and it can really be catered to the topic and what you’re trying to convey. I also learned that short. Abrupt. Sentences. Can sometimes be used strategically to really quicken the pace of a plot or to even put strategic stopping points for the readers. I definitely notice when the writing style can affect the tone of a piece (and tone is so important in thrillers!), so I do my best to replicate the kind of tone I want in my writing.

One of the major reasons I like reading is because it allows me to see directly into the characters’ inner thoughts, and that is one of the main highlights for why a book is often better than a movie for me personally. Blogging is also essentially writing for others to see directly into your thoughts. In that way, I think the way I read, wanting to know a character’s thoughts, is the same way I like to read other blogs and see their thoughts. I also want to do the same and convey my thoughts here at DTRH in order to share in and be a part of the community.

What do you all think about your favourite kinds of writing and your reading habits? Do you notice any connection between the two? Let me know in the comments below!