Comments on: How More Reading Leads to Better Writing

By: 1 Year Later: How I Improved My Writing

1 Year Later: How I Improved My Writing — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 09:10:53 +0000

[...] conclusion: Read, learn and write. Keep doing the three steps again, again, and again (and [...]

By: 36 Poetry Writing Tips : Writing Forward

36 Poetry Writing Tips : Writing Forward — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 00:56:52 +0000

[...] Read lots of poetry. In fact, read a lot of anything if you want to produce better writing. [...]

By: Writing Powerful True Short Stories

Writing Powerful True Short Stories — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 16:13:23 +0000

[...] them. For more, read Common Mistakes Made by Creative Writers, and read as much as you can, because reading improves writing, and that’s a [...]

By: Melissa Donovan

Melissa Donovan — Mon, 17 May 2010 19:37:46 +0000

I personally think everyone (even non-writers) should stick their necks out for the downtrodden, dispossessed, and destitute. However, most people are busy trying keep their own heads above water (some farther above the water than others). Of course it’s true that if all you do is read, you won’t have time to write. On the other hand, if all you do is write, you won’t have time to read. I believe that reading is the single best way to acquire strong writing skills, like proper grammar (capitalization, for example) and punctuation (hyphens and dashes). Far too many young or new writers want to forgo reading altogether and come up with endless excuses for why they should write all day and ignore reading, but reading is a necessary part of the writing process. It’s rather simple: the more you read, the better your writing will be.

By: ismail shan

ismail shan — Fri, 14 May 2010 12:04:27 +0000

yes u are right. reading and more reading are the stock-in-trade for anyone wanting to im-prove their writing ability. and what is writing but a sort of righting ability. if writers are not going to stick their necks out for the downtrodden, dispossessed and destitute then who else is for christ’s sake? but there is a point and that is that if all you ever do is read then how are u going to find the time to write (or think)? the point of no return at which supersaturation takes place is an ideal juncture to close the dog-eared book and open a fresh sheet of bond paper to write down your experiences on. journalling will expand on your reading. reading is in a way just re-add-ing. but writing is the writ u need to supplement that passivity with activity.

By: My Story Writer Blog

My Story Writer Blog — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 20:56:10 +0000

Friday Rerun: Reading, Writing What You Know, and NaNoWriMo…

By: Melissa Donovan

Melissa Donovan — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 21:24:10 +0000

Now I'm trying to remember if I ever read A Little Princess. I do know I saw the movie with Shirley Temple several times when I was a kid, but I just can't remember if I read it. I do know that I read The Secret Garden multiple times. I'm not familiar with most of the others that you've mentioned, though I would be interested in Julia Child's book. Have you read Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert? It's about personal transformation through eating, praying, and loving. Heh.

By: Melissa Donovan

Melissa Donovan — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 21:21:24 +0000

Thanks so much for your kind words, Hannah. Writing Down the Bones is one of the best books for writers that I have ever read. I’m certain that your obsessive reading has helped with your writing. How could it not? I need to start setting books aside if they can’t hold me after 50 pages. I tend to just stop reading altogether, and that’s no good! If only there was a way for all of us passionate readers to find a way to live forever, just so we can soak up every single page of delightful literature! Ah, wouldn’t that be wonderful? Hehee.

By: Melissa Donovan

Melissa Donovan — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 21:18:16 +0000

Hi Michele, I have read and heard that flaxseed can help with dry eyes too, so maybe I’ll try that (eventually). Yes, curling up with a good book as a kid was the best! I still love to do that, but I have to admit, it’s just not the same. I think it has something to do with feeling free — no obligations, no responsibilities, and becoming totally lost in the story. Ah, those were the days!

By: Melissa Donovan

Melissa Donovan — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 21:15:42 +0000

I’ve never heard of Goodreads. I shall go Google it now!

By: Deb

Deb — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 20:30:21 +0000

I have always loved to read. While I did not have control of it I did have a library card in my name when I was six.

Currently I am reading and working through Madson’s “Improv Wisdom.” I recently read Julia Child’s “My Life in France” instead of watching the movie Julia and Julie. I was so taken with her passion for food and I loved her voice.

I also read Burnett’s “A little Princess.” I didn’t like it as well as “The Secret Garden” but it was still charming.

The hardest fiction book was Webb’s “Precious Bane” which was written in an English dialect I was unfamiliar with; it was not Yorkshire. And it was full of customs I couldn’t figure out as well. It does give one an entry into a world like you’ve never known and it used to actually exist.

I don’t do much TV in general and none recently. But I see some authors I want to check out in the comments.

By: Hannah

Hannah — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 15:52:56 +0000

Let me first say, I love this website. I love to hear about others sharing in my love of reading and kindred spirits that have been obsessed with books since we learned how to read.

Currently, I’m reading “Writing Down the Bones” by Natalie Goldberg and “The Listeners” by Christopher Pike. I usually have 2 or 3 books going at a time. A non-fiction, adult fiction, and young reader or young adult fiction book.

I would like to believe that reading obsessively has helped my writing. At the very least, it’s given me a diverse vocabulary.

Although, I find it extremely difficult to remain in my favorite genre when choosing what to read. I love reading anything that even remotely strikes my interest. To help with that, I give a book 40-50 pages to grab my interest further and then if I can’t get into it…I set it aside. It was a sad day when I realized I could not read all the books I want in my lifetime.

Therefore, I plan to live forever so I can read everything I want that’s currently written and everything that is still being brought to life by fellow authors.