Make Time to Read as a Writer But Spend More Time Writing

Do you want to be a reader or a writer?

“The number of hours I spend consuming should never equal or exceed the number of hours I spend creating.”

— Nicolas Cole (six-figure writer)

I’ve been making more of an effort recently to read more books. Countless writers have told me how crucial it is to start reading to improve my writing.

But if you’re spending 2x that amount of time reading rather than doing the actual work — writing — where will it get you?

I know what you’re going to say, “You can be a reader and a writer.”

True. But that’s like saying you have to read five recipe books on how to bake a cake only to find out that baking the cake takes less than half the time you took reading the books.

I used to feel bad for not reading two books a week to increase my writing skills. I’m here to tell you right now…

You don’t have to read a ton of books to become a better writer.

Getting in the trenches every day is more effective than sitting on the sidelines.

If you’re a person who goes crazy reading, use your writing time as a benchmark for how much you can read every day. Pick a book that you can’t take your eyes off of and set an alarm when you’re reading time is done.

Final Thoughts

I’m not saying you can’t read at all to become a better writer. It does help your writing chops to get inspired by other people’s work. However, reading pales in comparison to how much you can learn from actually writing.

Don’t get caught up in a reading frenzy that stops you from achieving your dream as a writer.

Set a timer to stop yourself from getting carried away with a book. Get a few minutes of inspiration then get back in the trenches. So what are you waiting for?

Write on.