Week 7 // How to Read Like a Writer

(Typing as I read, so let's see if I can make sense.)

            "I realized writing is a word-by-word, sentence-by-sentence process.... [There are some] interesting ways that authors string words into phrases into paragraphs into entire books."

            Basically, reading is learning about writing, makes sense. The more you read the more you know if you like the writing style of an author and learn what not to and what to do in your own writing, even if you don't realize it. If you read a book from an author that is always incredibly descriptive and really helps you imagine an object, you'll probably end up incorporating it into your writing. However, if you read lame books, with lame authors, with lame words, lame stories, lame characters, lame, lame, lame, lame, and lame, you're writing might not be that lame because you know what not to do, unless you're lame. (I don't know why I did that... Probably because I'm lame.)

            If you want to better yourself as a writer by really analyzing the writing you need to ask why and how A LOT. How did they do this? Why did they do this?  How did they make me feel this way? Why did they place this here instead of there? Learn it's recipe. You'll probably destroy and burn the lasagna, but next time it won't be as burnt. Even if you aren't an author trying to write a book that will make millions, knowing and understanding how the way you write will affect your life especially through emails to potential clients or for any job, then I guess you're smart enough to see that you need to know this and understand how to apply and use genres, conventions, and all of that jazz we learn in class in our own writing.


Good Vibes