Hard to believe that February is here. This year the first falls on a Wednesday, which means IWSG Day is here super early! True confessions, I was planning to skip this month due to working several personal deadlines and being busy and stressed. Then I saw this month’s question and thought I can write something real quick on that which also speaks to what’s taking up a lot of my time. Namely, reading. Lots of reading.
This month’s question is “How has being a writer changed your experience as a reader?”
As a writer, I read a lot. I read to discover different genres, to see what is going on with my chosen genres, to research. I read books about writing, including a fascinating little treatise called Letters to a Young Novelist, where writing is called a parasitic infection.
We’re like people walking around with this bug inside us, feeding on our life experiences. For example, I know this is true, I can be across the world in a gorgeous, once-in-a-lifetime historical locale. And I’ll basically think okay here’s why I’m really here: how could I use this in a story? And after a heated, door-slamming argument, I’ll be telling myself well, that’s food for writing drama.
When I read, no matter what I read, but especially works in my chosen genre, there is always a part of me that’s thinking things like – hm, interesting stylistic device, that could help me with that problem I was having. Occasionally, I feel like I’m actually reading as a reader would – but then again wait – I’m thinking *like a writer* that I’m actually reading as a reader. And how meta is that?
Okay, enough of that.
What about you? If you’re a writer, does this affect your reading? What do you think about the analogy between writing and a parasitic infection? Does it “bug” you? 😉
Anne Higa 
Haha that picture says it all. We are still readers, but also writers who read.
Here’s my February IWSG post: Stephanie Scott How I Read Now
Thanks Stephanie!
Hello, Anne. I like your parasite metaphor. Yup, I do mine my experiences, and those of loved ones, colleagues, and random strangers, for their story potential. It’s a nice safety valve when feelings run hot enough to scorch.
I also read to explore new approaches and ideas that will help my writing. I especially like when I find something in a genre I usually don’t enjoy that I can use in my own particular way of writing. A gem in every genre, that’s my motto.
I kind of forgot that if I didn’t critique work for my writer friends, I never would have discovered so many other genres that I had no idea I would love!
I think it is a bug, but a beneficial one. If I stray too long from writing, I turn into a big grumpus.
I’ve found the really good books make me lose sight of the mechanics of the story and I just get pulled in. Not noticing the cards up their sleeves is the true mark of a good magician.