a generation of writers

“Only a generation of readers will spawn a generation of writers.” — Steven Spielberg

Steven Spielberg is one of my favorite storytellers. He and I have something in common: we were both English majors! He knows what he’s talking about when he emphasizes the importance of reading. The simplicity and elegance of Spielberg’s remark makes this one of my favorite quotes on writing.

I encounter a lot of writers who don’t read. Some read in their younger years; others have never been big readers. Many want to read but simply don’t have time. And their lack of reading is evident in their writing, regardless of how much writing practice they’ve put in.

Lots of professional writers and storytellers have expressed the necessity of reading, from Stephen King to Steven Spielberg. But it can’t be said or repeated often enough: reading is an essential practice for all writers. Even if you can squeeze in only ten or twenty minutes of reading per day, it will keep your writing robust.

The more you read, the better your writing will be, whether you write poetry, essays, or scripts.

I would add that reading well is also crucial. The market has become open: anyone can publish a book or a blog. As the market becomes increasingly flooded, the quality of the writing suffers, and sometimes we have to search more diligently to find excellent works. If you want to write good books, you need to read good books. Study the best storytellers (Spielberg is one of them) and learn from their expertise.

What are some of your favorite books? How often do you read? Do you have any favorite quotes on writing that you’d like to share? Leave a comment, and keep reading!

10 Core Practices for Better Writing

Quote source: Goodreads
Image source: Shutterstock

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