
All writers began as readers. Readers are artists in every sense of the word. Reading requires art skills as making art, therefore it is an art form. When we read, we jump inside the story, the novel, the play, the poem, the memoir, joining the characters. The book comes alive in our hands, our ears, our eyes. It generate emotions.
By reading, we are essentially co-writing. We fill in the gaps. Readers are engaged and care about the characters. They come to life. We embellish, we furnish, we clothe, because we feel, we think, we understand, we empathize.
Every good writer must first be a great reader. It’s impossible to be one without the other. Any writers who are succeeding at their craft will be able to list a handful of authors who’ve inspired them while they’re currently consuming literary works. Reading stretches a writer’s mind. Becoming a great reader is the first step towards being a successful writer.
As readers we critique;
determining if the sentence, paragraph or chapter could have been written differently.
When we have read a good book we celebrate.
When a book really satisfies we like to tell others.
Reading changes us.
By going through the same journey as the characters it changes us. Possibly making us more sensitive to others, more empathetic, more tolerant.
Oliver Wendall Holmes said, “A mind that is stretched to a new idea never returns to its original dimension.”
In the words of Ursula K. Le Guin, “We read books to find out who we are. What other people, real or imaginary, do and think and feel… is an essential guide to our understanding of what we ourselves are and may become.”
“Linda has published sixteen books. She blogs about the publishing world, posts useful tips on the challenges a writer faces, including marketing and promoting your work, how to build your online platform, how to get reviews and how to self-publish.”