Read everything, read widely, and tap into the world’s consciousness. A good writer reads not only for research and information, but also to become intimate with language itself. Words are indeed the substance, thread, and music of a writer’s arsenal.
“If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that,” Stephen King.
THE WORLD BEYOND THE BORDERS OF YOUR OWN EXPERIENCES
In her practical writing manual Lizette Rabe stresses the importance of reading extensively. She describes how the renowned Susan Sontag read from a very young age. It shifted the horizons from her own, immediate experiences to include a whole wide world outside. She devoured books and wrote stories and poems from a very young age.
WHY IS IT NECESSARY TO READ?
“The real importance of reading is that it creates an ease and intimacy with the process of writing; one comes to the country of the writer with one’s papers and identification pretty much in order. Constant reading will pull you into a place (a mind-set if you like the phrase) where you can write eagerly and without self-consciousness. It also offers you a constantly growing knowledge of what has been done and what hasn’t, what is trite and what is fresh, what works and what just lies there dying (or dead) on the page. The more you read, the less apt you are to make a fool of yourself with your pen or word processor.”
“Read a lot, write a lot” is the great commandment.
(Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, 2000)
UNDERSTAND DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW
Do read alternative histories. There is never just one truth, one history or one defining moment. Encourage yourself to question mainstream narratives and “us versus them” thinking. A poignant example of such a book, showcasing an overlooked part of America’s history, is Bury my heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown. “First published in 1970, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee is Dee Brown’s eloquent, meticulously documented account of the systematic destruction of American Indians during the second half of the nineteenth century. A national bestseller in hardcover for more than a year after its initial publication, it has sold almost four million copies and has been translated into seventeen languages. It was the basis for the 2007 movie of the same name from HBO films… A forceful narrative still discussed today as revelatory and controversial, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee permanently altered our understanding of how the American West came to be defined.”
READ FOR RESEARCH AND INFORMATION
You want your writing to shine, brimming with relevant facts and meticulous focus on detail. At the same time, your “voice”, that of you as the narrator, must be clear as a bell. Research and then make the topic your own. Remember to reference every single sentence you use from someone else’s work. AI is an excellent tool for research – but it cannot replace your authentic narrator’s voice.
“Don’t bend; don’t water it down; don’t try to make it logical; don’t edit your own soul according to the fashion. Rather, follow your most intense obsessions mercilessly,” says
Franz Kafka
ALLOW YOURSELF TIME TO READ
You will need uninterrupted time to read – which is a luxury nowadays. Early mornings or late evenings might be the answer, as well as any spare minute you have between appointments. It will be well worth your while to see what others are writing, to dive into difficult concepts and to familiarise yourself with the ebb and flow of language.
READ EXTENSIVELY TO WRITE A GOOD MEMOIR
As you get lost in the worlds of the books you are reading, your own readers will one day do the same. The adventure is just beginning! Write your book, your legacy, your contribution to consciousness in the world.
“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you,” says Maya Angelou in I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.
Choose freedom. Choose to embark on a writing journey. As an author coach, I am always here to assist you.