I often wondered if any writers tried to abstain from reading while they wrote ... I don't think I could do it. My reading slows while I'm writing (I have only limited time), but I never stop. I tend to re-read books while in the most active stages of my writing, rather than starting unknown authors or books, there's something comforting about sitting down with something that you already know you like. ... Recently I've been re-reading some of Charles Dickens and some John Irving, but I'm not sure they were a good choice, writers that are that good with their words can be intimidating. I sometimes wonder if I should seek out some dreadful books in the hope of making me feel better about my own writing
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