I once watched an old, jetlagged, Professor of History stagger up the stage at Carmoor Rd West Indian Centre, Manchester. I was worried he might not make it, he was that frail. He had a mic placed by him and he proceeded to reel off (without any notes whatsoever) half an hour of amazing, detailed facts about Egyptian civilisation. We were bown away. He then paused, looked out at us, his audience, and declared, 'you see, you young people, you must read, read, read!'
That was some eight years ago. I took his advice. When I get the chance, I read. For pleasure yes. Often now also to teach myself technique or to solve some problem of writing or editing I might have. Right now I feel drunk on words. I gorged myself over a long wekend. My reading list: two unpublished novels that both promised and puzzled. And then: man and wife, by Tony Parsons, Bursting the Cherry, by Phylls Blunt, Turning Thirty, by Mike Gayle, The Husband, by Dean Koontz, In Person 30 Poets, by Bloodaxe Books, Love Story, by Eric Segal, Alabanza (poems), by Martin Espada.
I ended wanting (but too tired) to read Angela Carter's Burning Your Boats, Death of a Salesman, by Arthur MIller again, and yearning to tuck into a Shakespeare play
Am I showing off? Not really. I sometimes go for months without (it feels) reading anything. I lay up books unread, waiting for that moment. Anyway... as writers we need to read - other people - and also one another's work. Thats one thing this blog site can do. Give you a taste of others' work. Comment on it - be inspired, puzzled, infuriated even by it!
PS. What happened to my domestic duties over the weekend? Hmm. Thats another story!