Read to Learn

Stephen King’s best advice to new writers (and I would have to agree with him) is this: read a lot and write a lot.

By increasing the quantity and variety of books you read (fiction for a fiction writer etc), you will:

Expose yourself to different writing styles. Style is an illusive creature with so many elements that make up its creation. We all want to find our own style so, to keep from becoming a mere copy of another, it’s best to expose ourselves to a wide variety of differing styles. You will then find your own style that is truly your own.

Increase your vocabulary. While some writers say a large vocabulary is unnecessary to better your writing skills, I disagree. We need words to express our thoughts so the more words we can draw from means our thoughts will become more succinct.

Better the way you use words. Reading more not only increases your vocabulary, but also improves the way you use those new words. You aren’t so tempted to use a word because it sounds fancy. You use it because it’s the right fit.

See punctuation in action. There’s only so many books on punctuation you can read or classes you can attend before you realise your greatest cementer of that new found knowledge is seeing it in action. It’s only then that we gain that deeper understanding to be able to tap its power.

Exercise your mind’s eye. Imagination is essential for all writers. When we read more, our imaginations are fed juicy morsels of potential inspiration.

Explore the use of pace. After reading some old classics, I decided I wanted to write a fast paced book. Then I read some of Matthew Riley’s books which drowned me in super fast action and left me gasping for air. It’s one thing to be told about the importance of pace in a book, another to find your own balance that works for you.

This post is starting to get a bit long so I’ll stop there, but I could so easily go on about the benefits of reading.

Can you think of other benefits that reading has on a writer? Do you try to read a wide variety of books or do you tend to only read the same genre? How many books would you read per month or in a year on average?

Writing and Music

Some see their writing as a creative expression and they cling to their freedom with the fierceness of a bulldog guarding its territory. Some see their writing as a vehicle to deliver their story and they stick to the rules like cement. But should we claim one approach is better than another? Would it be better to mix the two?

Writing and music are very similar things. Anyone can make music by taking random stabs at the piano keys. Anyone can write by stringing a few sentences together. But, to do them well, both crafts must be learned first. The rules must be understood. The skill of subtle nuances must be discovered and then practiced.

Both writing and music require a certain freedom to gain the magic of rhythm. Both feed on the almost mystical knowledge of timing to gain a mood.

It takes time to master both. A musician must play. A writer must write. Then the beautiful notes of a masterpiece begin to unfold. Confidence begins to sing out from your creations. The music then touches not only the ears, but it reaches down to the heart. The writing touches not only the mind, but it reaches down to the soul.

How much importance do you place on the creativity of writing versus learning the rules of writing?