Here are the three things I believe about writers and writing:
1. If you want to be a good writer - not talking about great here, but simply good - you need to be a reader first and foremost.
2. If you want to be a really good writer of genre fiction, you need to read a variety of genres, including literary fiction, the classics, history, mythology, and nonfiction. It doesn’t hurt to be familiar with film as well.
3. While it’s true there is nothing new under the sun (see The Book of Kohelet, otherwise known as Ecclesiastes), plagiarism is a bad thing. (Plagiarism itself is not new either.) Write your own book. If you don’t have your own book to write, well then, I guess you’re in the wrong line of work.
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I don’t understand why people would want to plagiarize. If you can’t form your own words find a new line of work.
1. Yes.
2. Yes.
3. Yes.
I believe it was Stephen King who said that the secret to being a writer was “read five hours a day, write five hours a day”. I think Lloyd Alexander once commented on people seeking to become genre writers and admonished them to read a broad spectrum of types of work.
As to why people would plagiarize: creating content is hard. Just generating reviews and commentary for my blog consumes a lot of time and mental energy, and I’m not even usually doing the real heavy lifting of coming up with original fiction. For some people that is too much. They want the “glory” of being seen as accomplishing something, but don’t want to put in the work. Plagiarizing is a shortcut. Its also cheating.
I’m with you, Amber.
Thanks, Aaron - I agree. I do think reading is the most important thing a writer can do to prepare to be a writer in the first place. Plagiarizing is flat out awful - especially in this age of e-publishing when an author may never know their work has been stolen unless an astute reader tells them.
I agree on all 3…..oh and plagiarism sucks bad….I have had something stolen so I know how it feels…
I’m always amazed when I meet writers who don’t read. I don’t read as much as I did before I started writing, but that’s not what I mean. I’m talking about people who want to be writers but have never bothered with reading. They love movies or tv and have a story to tell and think writing is the most practical way to do it. Crazy much?
Yeah, Savannah - it does suck!
Charlie - I’ve met way too many writers who don’t read. It shows.
Well said, Lovely Julia.