Hard to believe October let alone IWSG Day is here. I have had a busy couple of months including a new job which I love!

My job is appropriate to the question of the month: It’s been said that the benefits of becoming a writer who does not read is that all your ideas are new and original. Everything you do is an extension of yourself, instead of a mixture of you and another author. On the other hand, how can you expect other people to want your writing, if you don’t enjoy reading? What are your thoughts?

Well, as someone who works at a library and reads a lot, I cannot disagree with option A more! I love to be independent and creative, but I know from experience that if I want to share my writing, I need to read and I need to live, to experience life. There is no other way.

I find myself wondering who said this business about writing without reading? What have they written? I’m trying to think of authors I personally enjoy, and I can’t think of one who has ever said this. Even if such a writer exists, would they admit to it?

Unless we are inventing our own language, all writing is derivative, all based on a shared culture. And if we are going to invent a language and expect other people to learn it, well, good luck with that. To me, that’s just silly. And unnecessary.

What do you think? To me it’s an question but I’m always open to other perspectives!