Reading deliberately and with care is more important than reading a lot.

While I think this is absolutely true for people with limited resources - not many people have access to public libraries or many books at home - it's also true for those with resources.

Many underresourced people will have access to some kind of religious work, and sitting with those can teach you about pacing and rhythm and character and movement and color and all those other fancy writerly words.

Reading widely, if you can, can teach you a lot about writing. It can open your options about what's possible.

It can also muddy your own vision and clarity, if you do not read deliberately and with care.

Maybe your vision is writing romanc novels that feature gardeners and chemistry high school teachers.

Don't be convinced you should write about wrestlers and rally drivers.