14 Comments
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Rose Rodriguez's avatar

I loved this! It was so helpful, and I’m definitely going to implement the obsessing over a book suggestion while I’m writing :)

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Megan Wittman's avatar

Thank you, I'm so glad you found it helpful!

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The World in a Grain of Sand's avatar

Tbh I have the opposite problem. I like reading more than I like writing in the sense that I am constantly reading but I don’t necessarily write every day. In fact I need active time away from the page. But I love what you say about rereading books that you love. tbh its so helpful to do a close reading of both books you like and don’t like to see what makes them tick on a line by line level. Like if you have such strong emotions to a scene in the Great Gatsby what are all the elements (on a cellular level) that help in creating that response.

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Sam William's avatar

This is useful for me even though I'm not writing my own book. I make videos and used to love watching videos but when I started making my own I stopped watching as much because I always felt like I need to be creating my own. This is good for my productivity but also there is a lot of value in consuming the work of others (ideas, inspiration etc.) Thanks for this.

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Megan Wittman's avatar

Thanks for reading, glad you found it useful!

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steff malherbe's avatar

Is there anything better than obsessing over/overanalysing a book?! I did it last year with In The Dream House. Also, that picture of your desk set up is DREAMY. Where are you in your novel writing process? I can't wait to follow your journey xxx

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Megan Wittman's avatar

ooh, In the Dream House is so good! Thank you! Still in the drafting trenches, hoping to move on to revisions by summer

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Kat Cim's avatar

I really like this advice. I will have to try this.

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Megan Wittman's avatar

Thank you, Kat!

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Sam Frost's avatar

love this! my go-to reread while writing is rooney’s conversations with friends :) finding those small moments that are working in a favorite novel is such a big help!!

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Megan Wittman's avatar

Ahh, that’s my other favorite one to reread! I just did a reverse outline for it and found it so helpful. It’s my favorite Rooney novel

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Sam Frost's avatar

ahhh same! everyone’s always talking about normal people and i’m over here rereading CWF at least once a year! i love the idea of a reverse outline - might have to start trying that as i read :)

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Noor A Jahangir's avatar

I can't even watch or play anything. That writing itch gets into my head and I switch off from everything else

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James C Douglas's avatar

I don't read much of other people’s fiction while writing because I don't want to be influenced by it.

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