: Re: How do I balance reading time with writing time? It's rare to find a how-to-write book or blog that doesn't have this advice: "Read. Voraciously. In all genres, especially your genre of choice,

@Carla500

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Your problem is not making time for reading. You have two other problems:

You're giving up too quickly on writing.
You surf too much.

First, as John Smithers wisely says, disconnect your internet connection. The web will still be here when you come back, I promise.

Second, you say "I'm never more inspired to write than when I read." So: pick a book which is inspiring you, and put it next to your computer. When you hit 601 words and start to get bogged down, turn off the monitor (so you can't be distracted) and read, until you're inspired again. Put the book down, turn the monitor back on, and start writing again.

The answer to "whatever is bogging you down" is, 98% of the time, not found on the web, unless it's a particular word or fact. In that case, put in a placeholder and go back to it later. The answer is usually in your head, and you're good at finding reasons not to work through it. You are, as you correctly note, paralyzed.

As a third suggestion, I might add that if writing feels like a grind or a chore, set a timer. Do the writing-reading-writing for a specific amount of time: start with 30 minutes, and work up. When the time is up, turn off the computer (no fair surfing) and go do something else. Something physical. Play with the dog, make dinner, weed, clean the house, something not involving electronics. This will let your mind go but keep your hands busy, which is when I get many of my best ideas (sometimes full scenes). Keep a notebook in your pocket, jot down anything cool, and go back to your activity.

You are using the web as an excuse for procrastinating and not working through your issues (what's "bogging you down"). Reading isn't going to solve your problems, so there's no particular point in making special time for it.

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