I’ve been spending time rereading one of my favorite authors and trying out a series by a new (to me) author. I truly believe that reading makes you better writer, speaker, and thinker; and I encourage you to find a favorite author and a book to enjoy. (And for those of you who aren’t into sitting with a book, why not try an audio book?)
I’d like to share a post I wrote back in 2016. Enjoy!
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I hope you have a favorite author (or two) that you enjoy reading. I enjoy the characters in the stories, and I feel as if I’m visiting with old friends. I also feel that I’m getting to know the author, too, and it’s like spending time with him or her.
They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and I believe that. Reading and rereading my favorite stories has enriched my thinking and my speaking. I hold these writers as dear friends. When we moved into our house six years ago, one of the first things my husband and I did was to unpack the books and put “our friends” on the bookshelves.
Learn from your favorite authors. What do they do that you like? Do you like their sense of humor? How do they make a character or a scene come alive? How do they weave the story – chronologically, parallel plot lines, or flashbacks? Do they have that “turn of phrase” that you just love?
If you want to be a good writer or speaker, be a reader.