Writing Lessons & Advice: Reading
A cooking hobbyist may read cookbooks to learn new recipes or techniques. In the same way, a writer is suggested to read to improve their craft. The reasoning behind it includes:
Reading makes a habit out of creative consciousness. If you’ve ever done a close-reading exercise/study, engaging that consciousness is what it intends to do.
Reading exposes you to different writing styles and new ideas.
Reading makes writing lessons out of entertainment.
Reading improves vocabulary, grammar, and helps remove writer’s block.
The benefits are still experienced whether you read with a casual or focused purpose. Reading is immersive on any level. It has a beautiful purpose of communicating anything from fantasy to information, however it is approached. More still, by reading, you sit at the feet of established writers to hear their stories or gain from their insights. You can learn something new all the time from reading!
Here are some materials and recommendations for learning the craft, nearly all of which I personally use in my own writing development. Know that some content is available in a variety of mediums (blogs, podcasts, e-books, audiobooks, magazines, etc.), so you do not have to be limited to a printed book if you so choose.
Read craft books
Some writers are dedicated to promoting the craft through informative content.
Grammar Girl is one I’ve followed for a long time, starting with her book, Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing, that was introduced to me early in college (It's one of few textbooks I’ve kept all this time!). In it, she breaks down confusing grammar rules and presents them in easier ways. She does more of this on a weekly basis through her podcast and blog articles.
There is also content dedicated to how to write specific genres. I have old books that were published by The Writer’s Digest on how to write mysteries and romance. Each focuses on writing specific aspects within their respective genres. More recently, I was given Read This if You Want to Be a Great Writer by Ross Raisin, where he redefines the typical writing process.
One cannot go wrong in reading resources like the thesaurus or dictionary from time to time either. I find myself checking words during almost every writing project! Merriam-Webster and Dictionary.com have Word of the Day podcasts and postings.
Read your areas of interest
Read the genres, styles, or authors you want to emulate in writing. For instance, I’m interested in writing a Christmas story. So I recently read The Twelve Topsy-Turvy, Very Messy Days of Christmas by James Patterson and Ted Safran and The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand. Both novels put unique spins on parts of the holiday culture, something I might try honing myself! I’ll also never forget reading the term “argle-bargle” in Stephen King’s Sleeping Beauties. "Hobbyist" is another one I picked up recently while resarching for a story. Those are but a few examples of the learning experience that reading provides for a writer!
One can know all the rules and tricks of how to write but the real value of the knowledge comes from it in practice. A writer actively uses them while the reader sees them in action. That’s why reading of any kind immerses one in all the things they know and sometimes things that they don't. Again, close reading strategies can help you delve into further detail on the the writing rules and tricks at work, but even leisure reading can still glean a few things.
Hope this helps you better understand how and why reading is important to a writer!
If there's a topic you want me to cover in the future, you're welcome to reach out to me on the web chat feature or socials!
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