Every Writer Should Be A Reader

 

The quote by C.S. Lewis made me smile and nod my head. I am an avid reader and have been since the days of learning to read with Dick and Jane, the popular reading series for new readers of long ago. Reading affords me pleasure, gives me quiet time alone, and helps me continue to learn about the craft of writing. 

The third reason is why the second quote today by Stephen King, one of the world's most successful writers, is so meaningful. The man doesn't sugarcoat his advice. Instead, he lays it out in very few words. I can almost see him shaking his finger at someone as he lets them know the importance that reading is to a writer. 

Even while reading for pleasure, your subconscious is soaking up many things about the way the writer has presented the story. I'm not suggesting you copy the way others write. You still want to develop your own voice, but you can learn a great deal about the tools needed to write by reading the work of others. 

The point here is that all writers need to be readers. Just recently a writer friend put a plea for help on books to read. What books did you enjoy? she asked. Readers responded with a list of their favorites. I have a feeling she'd already read several of them as they were books that were popular and stayed in that column even as the years after publication slipped by. 

You don't need to read only fiction. Biographies, memoirs, nonfiction--all should have a place in our reading list. A memoir writer benefits from reading the memoirs of others. A fiction writer finds little tidbits of treasure in the way others write fiction. A poet admires and learns from reading the poems of others. I am not suggesting that you copy the exact methods of the other writers whose work you read. Absolutely not! Read for the enjoyment but also to pick up little bits and pieces about writing. 

Do you have a list of favorite books you've read over the years? I'll list a few that I have especially liked below. They are ones that stayed with me long after I closed the book for the final time. 

• A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles
• The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher
• The Rent Collectors by Camron Wright
• The Good Earth by Pearl Buck
• Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
• My Antonia by Willa Cather
• The Nightengale by Kristen Hannah
• Life in a Jar by Jack Mayer
• Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
• A Woman of Substance by Barbara Taylor Bradford
• A Man Called Ove by Fredrick Backman

Your list will probably be totally different from mine. Even so, I have gained a lot about the writing craft as I've read these and myriad other books over the years. Add the many, many hours of pleasure and it's a win-win situation. Don't ever feel guilty for using some of your writing time for reading. You'll enjoy the book but also be learning.