Something that I have encountered before has once more affected my work.

Reading can corrupt your writing.

Lately I've been reading, some new, some revisits, some instructional.

I get deep pleasure when reading, but I've found the plots, scenes, the characters of others can contaminate the ones I'm in the middle of creating. Too often I find a phrase or description of another author ink blotted in the middle of my words.

I set Tolkien down, the rich imagery, clean script, the marvelously conceived plots, Tolkien's brilliance a joyous pleasure, but all of a suddenly I'm thinking a wizard might work in Sarah Jane, or in unwritten visions yet to be put to paper. And it's not just Tolkien. Authors like R. Mac Wheeler, Ludlum, Clancy, and many others have become ingrained in my process, and at times I lose me and am mimicking...them.

I want to be original, myself, but is that possible in this world? Are we all conglomerates?

What do you think?