I saw this last week one day and saved it and now can't recall where I found it, so I apologize for not being able to give credit to whomever had it posted at that time.  But, how cool is this?  The root of all goes back to reading.  We must first read, read, read in order to then write, influence and, thereby, change the world. LOVE IT!

It is so true that reading A LOT in the genre in which one writes is imperative, but reading in general, both for writing purposes and for fun, is necessary.  I love to read, always have and always will.  It truly amazes me that some don't share that same feeling, though I know many do not.  One of my kid's complained the other day about having to read for school which then started a discussion (e.g., lecture) about the awesome privilege of books, the ability to have them and read them.  The ability to lose oneself in a new world, one in which anything is possible, to be able to lounge around and do nothing more than open a book and just simply read...at which point, he started to roll his eyes and look at me like I had two heads:).  He thought I was totally bonkers when I said I'd love nothing more than a free week of hours on end to read, read and read some more!

And then I saw this quote and bam!  I started to think of it from a different perspective.  Reading is empowering? Writing to influence and change the world? Well, yes it is empowering to read.  And, yes, I do hope to influence change with my writing.  At this point, hopefully, a little girl or boy begs his or her mom or dad to read my book just one more time before bed (or at any other time during the day, for that matter).  Maybe someday, it will be an influence of another kind, for a different age range; however, the ultimate goal is the same...to affect change of some nature, in some way, big or small, in the hearts and minds of those reading my books.  I want others to WANT to read my books in the same way I love to read books myself.   I do feel empowered when I write, and, hopefully, this empowerment translates into a positive change for those choosing to read my work.