"Read, read, read. Read everything-trash, classics, good and bad, and see how they do it. Just like a carpenter who works as an apprentice and studies the master. Read! You'll absorb it. Then write. If it is good, you'll find out. If it's not, throw it out the window." -William Faulkner
I recently read an article highlighting an author who was being interviewed by a reporter. When asked what she is currently reading, the writer’s response floored me.
“I don’t read,” she said. “Just don’t have the time. Not my thing.”
How, on Earth, can a writer not read? Reading is an apprenticeship for all writers. Reading inspires writing. Not the other way around. Would a plumber plumb without months, years of practical application through study and practice?
I read every day. I do it because I love it. Reading is a therapy, an escape and a lesson. Admittedly there are times reading is a lesson in what not to do. It is still a lesson.
How does a nonreader build a robust vocabulary? How does one create a technique to translate the fiction in your head to the screen or paper? Most of us are not born naturally gifted storytellers. We need to learn and refine our skills. We can do this by reading, writing, talking about our craft and then writing some more!
I’d love to hear what you do to get inspired. Share in the comments.