Why Writers Should Be Readers

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I'm always shocked to find so many writers do not spend time reading, especially reading their genre. On the one hand, I get it. We all only have so much time, and it seems that time is best invested... well, writing. Right?

I'm guilty too. I LOVE reading, but when I'm strapped for time or feeling overwhelmed, I usually either turn to my own story or Gilmore Girls (#teamjess).

But I think we are losing so many opportunities by not reading... opportunities to get a fresh perspective on our own writing!

Here are several things that frequent reading allows:

• It keeps us in touch with what readers want. As a writer, I may not want to introduce my main characters until chapter three. As a reader, if I have to wait until chapter three before the hero and heroine meet, I'm probably putting the book down before then. As a writer, I may want to kill characters when they frustrate me. As a reader, I HATE WHEN WRITERS DO THAT.
• It keeps us aware of comparable titles. If you're an author or an aspiring author, books are your business. You need to know what's out there so you can bill yourself as relevant.
• It hones our craft. You can write until the cows come home, but you will never get the skill-sharpening power that only reading allows. Reading is like looking at someone else's art. You learn to appreciate others' work, and that appreciation betters your own. And as an added benefit, you can internalize a sense of story arc in a way that feels "easy" when you aren't forcing the plot like we often do in our own stories.
• It establishes a sense of community. Reading well and often is one very successful means of linking ourselves within a writing community... it's a "you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours" sort of scenario. If you invest yourself in reading others' work, you're that much more likely to find critique partners, mentors, and friends who will help you with your own.

Your turn! What other benefits have you found in reading? What are you reading right now?

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Ashley Clark writes romance with southern grace. She's dreamed of being a writer ever since the thumbprint-cookie-days of library story hour. Ashley has an M.A. in English and enjoys teaching literature courses at her local university. She's an active member of ACFW and runs their newcomer's loop. When she's not writing, Ashley's usually busy rescuing stray animals and finding charming new towns. You can find Ashley on her personal blog, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. She is represented by Karen Solem.

Learning to Read Well

Over the years I've been writing fiction, I've discovered something surprising. Writers are so very often not readers. At first glance, that seems like the opposite of what you'd expect. I mean, we're all in the same industry together, right? But when you begin to think about this issue in more depth, it makes sense. So many writers are also other things. Mothers. Fathers. Husbands. Wives. Cooks and laundresses and teachers and doctors and gardeners and the list goes on and on. Finding writing time can be quite a struggle, especially when deadlines come into play. So really, from this perspective, it's no wonder that reading falls to the wayside.

But, I want to challenge you with the idea that we may never reach our writing potential if we do not first become good readers. I know that may sound extreme, but it's just the truth. By reading, we expand our vocabulary-- not only of words, but also of skills, emotions, and creativity.

I'm currently reading Kristy Cambron's newest novel, A Sparrow in Terezin. In case you missed it on Facebook, here's how I felt when my advanced reader copy arrived in the mail:

And the only thing wrong with this picture is it doesn't quite show how excited I really was.

If you don't know, I am a huge fan of Kristy's work (and her general personhood), and her sophomore work does not disappoint! I was up until two o'clock in the morning last night reading a particularly engaging series of developments.

All day, I have been in a particularly optimistic and inspired mood with regard to my own writing. Is it a coincidence this creative spark has come as I've jumped into a masterful piece of what can only be called literature? I don't think so.

See, I think quality fiction inspires us to raise the bar. It's sort of like going to a museum and seeing a phenomenal piece of artwork, them coming away challenged to make more beauty in our own world. The words we feed our minds will inevitably affect the quality of words we write out.

So today, I want to give a few quick things to consider when reading as a writer:

• Read for the literal, practical sentence structure. The more we consume clear, beautiful, error-free sentences, the better our own writing structure will become. Just as babies learn to speak through imitation and repetition, we learn strong sentence structure by seeing it done well.
• Read for the deeper level artistry. This can be a hard one, because not all books exhibit artistry. But search for those that do--it's worth the effort. I have found that when I do discover a book (like Kristy's, which is why I mentioned it earlier) with lyrical writing and intentionality driving each scene, I can recognize those layers and then better weave them into my own writing, with my own voice. Look for things like imagery, tone, voice, and evocative descriptions. Reading well-written poetry is another great way to train ourselves to see artistry in phrasing, in particular. (Try John Keats, E.E. Cummings, or William Blake, to name a few of my favorites.)
• Read books that take you from the position of "writer" to the position of "reader." One of the greatest achievements a book can have is to make a reader out of a writer. When you sit down with a book planning to dissect it and then get so lost in the story that you forget you were supposed to have a critical approach, you know you've struck gold. Sarah Ladd's writing is a great example of this for me! I get so caught up in her style and her stories. When you catch yourself in these moments, ask what it is about the book that allowed you to let go and really make that full escape into the story. Then look for ways to adapt that into your own writing.

Your turn! Do you have anything else to add to this list? What's the best book you've read lately? Or do you struggle to find time for reading?

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Ashley Clark writes romance with southern grace. She's dreamed of being a writer ever since the thumbprint-cookie-days of library story hour. Ashley has an M.A. in English and enjoys teaching literature courses at her local university. She's an active member of ACFW and runs their newcomer's loop. When she's not writing, Ashley's usually busy rescuing stray animals and finding charming new towns. You can find Ashley on her personal blog, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. She is represented by Karen Solem.