In our ever-busy lives filled with school, work, writing, family, and anything and everything else, it can sometimes be hard to find time to read. I’ve already stated in earlier posts how important it is for a writer to read, and I’ll always stand by that. Reading can inspire us to write and spark the creative part in us. However, with so much to do and so little time to do it, reading can sometimes get pushed onto the back burner to make way for “more important things.”
This is where I’d argue that reading is important. Not only to inspire us, but also to teach us. We can learn so much about writing when we read other author’s works. We can look at their success, or failures, to help guide us on our own paths toward publication.
As important as reading is, it can sometimes be hard to find the time to read because we are so busy. Well, use your time wisely. Every spare second should be used to get some reading done. Even though you may only have a few minutes before class starts or before you head to work, that’s a few minutes to move farther along with your reading. Maybe you can spare thirty minutes each night before bed or do a once a week reading block on the weekends. Make a schedule and find time to read. That TBR pile isn’t going to read itself. And we all know that for every book we read, we seem to add five more to our pile!
When you read, don’t think of it as studying for writing, but instead, pay close attention to the characters and the plot. Try to read in between the lines and become the author. What would you have done differently if you wrote this book? Why do you think the author wrote this scene like that? Challenge yourself and your writing by reading other books. Don’t read and then feel discouraged, but rather encouraged. Just think, every author was in your shoes once. We can all reach our goals with passion and motivation.
So, make some time to get reading!
Just write!
Jordan
JUST WRITE 