Don’t be afraid of other books influencing your writing style, urges Jane Wenham-Jones
You often recommend that would-be novelists read a lot and I know this is standard advice. However, I wonder what you think about the risks of sub-consciously absorbing another writer’s style or – worse still – their content. I am writing my first novel and I do find that I seem to be emulating the voice of whoever I last read, or even using their characters’ names. As I am intending to write a trilogy I shall always have a manuscript on the go for some time. I don’t want to give up reading other novels for years on end. How do other writers avoid this pitfall?
You certainly should not give up reading novels, Roz – not even for a short time, let alone years – if you hope to write three yourself. Quite apart from missing out on the joy of good fiction you will also be losing the valuable lessons in structure, shape, plot, pace, character and dialogue that we absorb when we read the works of other successfully published authors.
Your concern is one shared by many writers particularly when they are starting out. It will become much less of a problem as your individual voice and style emerge and strengthen.