Fletcher: Reading to Write

“If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.” –Stephen King

I need more time to read.

Edit: I need to make more time to read.

I’ve mentioned lately that I’ve started following Steven Pressfield (The War of Art, Do the Work).

Yesterday on his Writing Wednesdays he wrote that we should Study the Canon.

In other words, read what’s out there. Read the classics. Read the experts.

I learned a while back that if I want to be a southern author, I need to read southern authors.

What? You don’t remember The Sound and the Fury of my trying to read Faulkner?

It’s true that I spent most of 2021 focusing on British History and authors. I’m still listening to both The British History Podcast and Chopped Bard. I may never finish.

It’s also true that I have a stack of books I need to read.

When I get the time.

Edit: When I make the time.

My challenge is setting aside that time and not falling asleep before I can read.

You don’t need me to outline my schedule and everything else I’m working on.

Just know that I’m acknowledging, once again, that I need to be reading more.

In fact it’s one of my Three Words for 2022.

But just like the history that I wrote about yesterday, I’m never going to have enough time to read everything I want to read.

That doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t try.

I could go on … but I think I’ll go read.

Photo by Ed Robertson on Unsplash