In Which We Read Well to Write Well

Hello, dears, welcome back. Today I'm honored to be part of the Rainy Day Writer Blog Tour, celebrating my friend Agnès Cromwell's new blog by that name. All of the wonderful folks who agreed to be a part of this tour are doing posts on something reading/writing related. I'll put the tour schedule at the bottom so that you're sure not to miss any!

But, to the point. As I'm sure many of my writing friends would agree, the most important step in writing is reading. I believe that every book we read changes us as a writer, and if we're wise, every book can change us for the better, even if it's not a good book. (I can hear my writing audience gasping...but wait and hear me out, I'll explain later.) If we read broadly, we're exposed to different styles, genres, and ideas, and these are the things that blend together into our own work.

Is this to say that we aren't original if we read other people's writing? No! While it's easy to copy someone else's writing, that's different from gaining ideas and concepts from other books. Our best writing was unintentionally inspired by the things around us; whether people, experiences, or literary works. We don't have to have the same plot as our favorite book to say that our writing was influenced by it!

So, what types of books influence our writing the best? Depending on what genre you like to write in, particular books can help you best. But if we use discretion in our reading, we can find writing help in every book out there, although admittedly some more than others.

What type of discretion do I mean? Make certain that you aren't letting bad writing bring your writing down. Instead, be able to identify those flaws, then use that knowledge and apply it to your own paper. Not all books are worth reading, but at the very least don't walk away from a bad one thinking that it did nothing for you. Did you stop in the middle because you just couldn't make yourself finish? Then identify what was so poor about it. Get rid of it in your own writing.

And of course, remember that there is something good in every bad book, and something bad in every good book. No book is perfect, and no book is just pure trash. (Okay, well, the Bible is perfect, but you knew what I meant.) Don't be biased just because you liked or disliked the book. Always be looking for the beauty and for the flaws: it's rough, but it shapes your writing, for better or worse. Might as well make it better, right?

Okay, hang on. It may seem like I've been saying that there are no levels of good or bad books for shaping writing, they're all the same. Large disclaimer: no. I'm not telling you that Cat in the Hat is just as good for your writing as Jane Eyre is, although Dr. Seuss can definitely teach us some writing lessons. Every book can have a lesson for us. That doesn't mean that every book has as valuable of a lesson for us. Again, with discernment: we can choose good books to read versus bad books, and ones that will influence our writing strongly versus ones that won't.

What books are good for shaping your writing? I think it depends on what style and genre you write in. But I particularly love branching out with authors I already know I love and respect.

After all that, yes, I will give you book recommendations for good writing. Ones that maybe are slightly less-known than something like, say, Narnia.

~the story that cannot be told by j. kasper kramer.

This book is historical fiction but it also weaves in bits of fantasy. The writing is pure genius and I would 100% recommend it to anyone looking for good writing. Besides being one of my favorite genres, it weaves bits of mystery and vague-ness into the story while not being utterly confusing.

~the giver by lois lowry

It seems funny that all my favorite books are ones on this list. However, good writing is something that I prize highly in my literary choices. This book is dystopian, another favorite of mine. Lois Lowry is one of my very, very favorite authors because of her astounding writing style and the way she pulls a plot together. I love this whole series.

~adorning the dark by andrew peterson

This is non-fiction, but it still shows a unique and marvelous style as Peterson fleshes out his songwriting and novel-writing story. It's good for musicians, authors, and artists, not to mention anyone who is a follower of Jesus, even if you're not artistic. I highly respect Peterson's work and would recommend this one anytime.

If you enjoy more posts about reading and writing, please, please visit Agnès's blog The Rainy Day Writer. And make sure to check out the rest of the stops on the blog tour this week, listed on the flyer below! The next post will be tomorrow, located at Annabelle's blog, Pen & Ink.

what are some of your favorite books for good writing? are you enjoying this blog tour?

Toodeloo, friends!

~Lily May