Other People’s Books
By Sophie Masson | November 13, 2019 |
Flickr Creative Commons: Vicente
Occasionally, you hear writers say they never read the work of other authors, especially writing in the same genre as they are, and especially if they’re currently in the process of writing a book themselves. The reason given is usually that they are afraid of being influenced, whether consciously or unconsciously, by the other writer’s work. It’s a fear that originality may be somehow diminished, or that a kind of helpless plagiarism may happen, which will then destroy their own literary integrity. Underlying this is perhaps an even deeper fear: that they may discover that those other writers’ books are actually vastly better, leading to a major paralysis in imagination and the feeling that as they’ve said it all anyway, why bother?
I understand those feelings—the writing life is quite often competitive, stressful, and prey to many fancies and fears–but I don’t share them. Partly, it’s because of the way I write: a process of complete and utter immersion. When I’m writing, I’m completely in the story, nothing else figures or intrudes, I’m away with the fairies. It quite blanks out anything going on around me–to the great frustration—and delight– of my children when they were growing up. My daughter says she could have asked for a huge rise in pocket money when I was in the middle of writing and I’d have said, Yes, dear, whatever you want, vaguely; and my youngest, our musician son, loves to tell the story of the day he’d spent an entire morning practicing drums loudly upstairs, and when he came down for lunch, and I emerged blinking from my work, I asked him brightly what he’d been doing all morning! I genuinely had not heard him at all. Equally, this immersion seems to blank out what I’ve been reading—perhaps because writing is such a different process to reading, perhaps because that’s the ‘safety switch’ that clicks on in my mind when I start to write.
But it’s only partly my experience of writing itself which makes me feel that those common fears are not only unfounded, but actually dangerous. Because how on earth can a writer not be a reader, too? Though they are so different, the two things go together. Wide and frequent reading of other people’s work leads to the enrichment of a writer’s mental furniture, the deepening of their emotional range, the texturing of their intellectual potential. Whether that be classic authors or modern ones, reading what other people have written, thinking about it, engaging with it, makes all the difference to the strength and power of your own writing. An author without ”influence”–if such a mythical beast can truly exist– would write merely hollow, navel-gazing books which would most likely fail to click with readers.
I can’t begin to estimate just how important other writers’ influence has been, and is, to me. From the very beginning when, as a non-English-speaking migrant child newly arrived in Australia, I was introduced to English-language children’s books, I was off and away on an extraordinary journey through the world of literature. I devoured books as fast as I could get them off the library shelves. I read in both English and in my native language, French, racing through collections of fairy tales, fantasy, mystery and adventure novels, comic books, everything I could lay my hands on. From early on, I wanted to emulate my favorite writers, and so wrote comic strips a la Tintin, my own fairy stories, school stories a la Blyton, all sorts of bits and pieces, totally influenced by what I read. Later, when, as a teenager, I got into poetry, I also tried my hand at writing in the styles and forms of those poets I loved best. I counted sonnet lines and tried my hand at shoe-horning verse into ancient bardic forms. I devoured Russian novels and Gothic novels and swashbuckling French novels and tried to create characters in their mold. And my writing was highly influenced, highly colored by what I’d read. But not only was I enriching my mental furniture by reading, I don’t think I could have found a better way of practicing to become a writer. Challenging and extending myself, not staying within the narrow world of home-school-home that I lived in as a kid but roaming the wide worlds of my, and other people’s imaginations.
And so, unconsciously, as I grew up, I came to understand a very important and liberating thing, which has stood me in good stead all my writing life. And it’s this. Voice, which is really where a writer’s originality lies, does not exist in a vacuum. Indeed, like Nature, it abhors a vacuum. Instead, it comes straight out of that rich mix of individuality and influence.
Over to you: what are your thoughts on the influence of other people’s books?
Born in Indonesia of French parents, and brought up in France and Australia, Sophie Masson is the award-winning author of over 70 books for children, young adults and adults. Her latest books include Sydney under Attack (children’s historical novel, Scholastic Australia, 2022) A Hundred Words for Butterfly (adult novella, ES-Press, 2022) and Cock-a-doodle-doo (children’s picture book, (illustrated by Kathy Creamer, little Pink Dog Books, 2022). In 2019, Sophie received an AM (Member, General Division) award in the Order of Australia honours list.
“If you don’t have the time to read, you don’t have the time –or the tools– to write.” –Stephen King.
To have the mix of doubt and overconfidence to *refuse* to read… that just makes no sense.
Sophie, I loved this so much because what you say is true. I’ve been a reader my whole life and although didn’t pursue writing until I became a mother, I was always telling stories or making them up and I believe voice is not something you find, but develop. Grow.
When asked to write a biography for the ICL course, I ended up writing a biography of the books that shaped me. I’d be very happy if you’d have a cup of tea while reading my love letter: https://vijayabodach.blogspot.com/2018/10/a-biography-in-books.html
Thank you so much, Vijaya, for your lovely reply. I just read your blog piece too, and much enjoyed it–it’s beautiful and touching, and what a great idea, too, recounting your life through books that shaped you and were important to you at various times in your life!
Interesting post, Sophie! The ability to close out the world you describe is a form of ADD that we share. I’ve often said that when I am focused on a task, someone could fire off a gun next to my head and I would not hear it. It served me well when studying in a college dorm room.
I spent many years as a reading specialist helping students with reading difficulties. Research indicates the following. Reading and writing are acquired skills; therefore, they must be practiced in order for improvement to occur. The practicing of each informs the other. It is quite simple. Being a reader makes one a better writer.
I find it easier to write when I read. It’s like an oil to the machine of my mind. Surrounding myself with words and sentences and paragraphs help to slip my own little nuggets out onto the paper. :D
Lovely metaphors..
Thanks for addressing something many writers struggle with, Sophie! I felt this way when I began to write, but I’ve come to realize the voice of a writer who doesn’t read is like using one color of thread in a tapestry. Reading other writers adds different colors and textures to one’s voice.
The fear of imitation is unfounded. I don’t think people realize how difficult it is to imitate another writer’s voice. It takes immense concentration not to fall back into your own style.
I copy poetry every day as a writing warm-up. Not because I want my writing to copy the poetic voice, but because I hope the rhythm and use of language will add a lyricism to my voice.
Glad you feel the same, Dawne–and what a good idea, using poetry copying as a writing warm-up! I think maybe even the simple physical act of writing other people’s beautiful or powerful words down–whether in handwriting or on the computer–could help to free the imagination from the shackles of too much self-consciousness which ironically hinders true originality…
I read other authors’ works when I write my own as kind of an advice column or refresher course. If I’m struggling with a scene, dialogue, or transition, I might ask, “What would Richard Russo do?” and read from the Empire Falls series.
Not influenced by other writers’ fiction? Okay, but have you also turned off the TV?
Got a killer idea involving AI, surveillance, portable consciousness? Secret government labs? Paranormal creatures? Spooky small towns? Time travel, alternate history, unreliable reality?
Robot/zombie apocalypse? Heartfelt family stories, what it means to be a family? Royalty? Fairy tale crossover?
Sorry, been done. It’s on TV.
Fiction does best when it does what TV cannot do. Narrative voice. Depth of character. Arcs that don’t resolve just because it’s Act IV and the musical score softens. Fiction, when it excels, is longer, deeper, more original, free of topes and not easy to resolve.
Or forget. How many TV episodes have stuck with you for decades? Maybe a few? How many novels. Ah. Depth will do that, and that maybe is the best reason to read the fiction of others whose stories are like yours: To see how they do what TV cannot.
Absolutely!
I have dyslexia and had to fight hard to learn to read. Before I was able to other people read to me and it was like they were unlocking a treasure chest and allowing me to peek inside. I can’t imagine my life without books.
Finding an author who writes better than I do is a gift. I use their talent to fuel my own– as Christine has explained. And do so without fear. As Dawne has written, it is extremely hard to copy another writer’s voice.
Thank you for this thought-provoking article, Sophie. I enjoyed reading it and the comments that it inspired.
Thank you, Leanne, glad you enjoyed it. What a beautiful gift indeed you found in that treasure chest! A gift that gives again and again…
What the wise one said….’Wide and frequent reading of other people’s work leads to the enrichment of a writer’s mental furniture, the deepening of their emotional range, the texturing of their intellectual potential. Whether that be classic authors or modern ones, reading what other people have written, thinking about it, engaging with it, makes all the difference to the strength and power of your own writing.’ Sophie Masson, Other People’s Books, Writer Unboxed. November 13, 2019.
… uhuh! can’t improve on that…
but I will add one thing … ‘not reading’ would make me very grumpy!
Was blessed to attend a masterclass and panel sessions with Sophie Masson at the HNSA conference in Sydney.
Thank you so much for your lovely comment, Janet! And I’m with you on not reading making one very grumpy :-)
Thanks, Sophie, for such a great post!
I cannot imagine my life without books! My fondest memories as a child are of going to the library in Sydney every two weeks to take out the maximum number of books allowed and devouring them before the next visit. Enid Blyton figured prominently in my early years, but my imagination truly came alive when I read The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and a passion for fantasy and science fiction was born.
It is also through my own fiction writing that I found my voice in non-fiction. Although I wish my first two novels had been good enough to publish, it was never wasted effort. I didn’t realize it at the time, but they were invaluable when writing my wine business books, because I had developed a voice that informed my work. I have heard many times from readers that it is the conversational style and the stories of my experiences that made my “how-to” books easy to read and relatable. I credit reading and writing fiction for that.
Thank you, Deborah, glad you liked it. Yes, I think nothing is lost as a writer, whether or not we get a particular work published, it’s had its place in the building of our craft, no matter in what genre direction we end up going in…
Hi Sophie,
Enjoyed your post very much. Like the ‘mental furniture’ idea.
Thanks
Kate
Thank you very much, Kate!
After a decade-long gap while I studied for my past career, I can never not read fiction again. It would feel like a metaphoric choice for self-amputation. That said, I do permit myself to change what I’m reading while I’m actively writing. The challenge is to hit that sweet spot: fiction that inspires me to do better while not making me feel discouraged over the gap between expectations and reality.