Here's the thing of it. Practically all writers will agree to disagree about everything (or at least have different versions of the same advice), but we all understand this basic, fundamental concept that writers who want to write and be Great Authors must do.
They must. Read.
You must. Read.
Patricia Cornwell once said that, "being with someone who is smart and gives good advice adds tremendously wonderful elements to your life."
I'm going to change that up a little bit: "Hanging out with books makes you better at writing books because they give you good advice and add tremendously wonderful elements to your writing life."
Got it?
I wouldn't have such a vested interest in writing as I do today if it weren't for my vested interest in reading when I was younger. Trenton Lee Stewart's The Mysterious Benedict Society. Sarah Week's So B. It. DiCamillo's The Tale of Despereaux. N. E. Bode's The Anybodies. Especially the latter. That one really sparked the writing fire in my soul, and something really delicious started happening.
Even now, if there are moments (that is, when there are moments), where you are unable to write for some reason (writer's block comes to mind), then you read. Read all sorts of books. Read well. Digest the words. Learn from the good stuff, learn from the bad stuff.
If you are reading, you are writing. Internally. Secretly. A True Writer never really stops writing. She's always-always-always creating words, words, and more words.
So, what are you reading? I have a world of books that are still waiting to be read. Some of my favorite authors are quite dead, but their books are still quite alive, and quite loud, and quite demanding of my attention.
That's the beauty of books. They bring words to life, and life to words.
Read them. Learn from them.
Create.
"Those who seek the Lord lack no good thing." -Psalm 34:10
Comments