Writers Read

During my three years in the MFA program, one sentence was repeated often: Writers read. In fact, several of my classes had required fiction books that we had to read and discuss in discussion posts. I assumed writers needed to read to get inspired by fellow writers, but there was more to it than that.

Stephen King, in his book about writing, On Writing, put it simply and succinctly: “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.”

Here are my five favorite reasons writers should read:

1. Reading teaches us how powerful words can be.When I read as a writer, I absorb lessons from powerful passages. I sometimes stop and read a sentence twice. When I was younger, I kept a book of passages and sentences that moved or inspired me. Those moments stay with us and eventually find their way into our own writing.

2. Reading teaches us about craft.Reading exposes writers to sentence structure, pacing, dialogue, characterization, voice, and storytelling simply by showing us how other writers make their choices.

3. Reading helps us discover what kind of writer we want to be.We often discover what kind of writer we want to be by encountering writers whose work moves us—and sometimes writers whose choices we don't like. Sometimes I skim over long, detailed descriptions and ask myself why the author seems to feel I need to know all those details. When I write, I remember getting annoyed by lengthy descriptions or language that is too flowery or dark. I adjust accordingly.

4. Reading can inspire us to try something new.I once read a novel that used first person in a way that made me feel incredibly close to the protagonist. I had been writing my novel in third person and was so taken with the approach that I rewrote a chapter I had already written and changed it to first person. It made such a difference. Reading that novel changed the way I saw my own story.

5. Reading keeps writers connected to the literary world.Writers need to know what is being published, what conversations are happening in their genre, and how their own work fits into the current literary landscape. Reading other writers’ work also makes us good literary citizens. We support other writers when we buy their books, talk about their work, and even write thoughtful reviews.

At the end of my final thesis class, the professor asked us what we were most looking forward to doing. So many of us had not had time to read, and we all looked forward to sitting down and enjoying a good book. This brings me to another big question—how do we find time to read?

I came across a number of Instagram posts telling me how bad it is to look at our phones the minute we wake up. We shouldn’t touch our phones for the first 30 minutes of the day. Some suggested drinking coffee while staring out the window. Others said to do breathwork, meditate, or exercise. None of it really appealed to me. Until I read one that said read. Ah! I am a writer with no time to read, so this was perfect.

I was hooked from the first day, and now I really look forward to my reading time.

The truth is, reading isn't separate from writing. Reading is part of the work of becoming a writer. And if you’re not a writer but you are a reader, thank you. You are the reason we keep writing.