Reading to Write Better

“If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.”

– Stephen King

We communicators are not pioneers. We use an existing tool — the English language — and try to use it to the best of our ability. We deliver a message to a target audience using a string of words that we find appropriate.

Communicating is a simple concept but one that can be done in infinitely different ways. Ask one hundred people to write a paragraph about any one topic and you will have one hundred different paragraphs.

The words we choose are derived from our unique experience listening to speech and reading text. People speak and write in the language and dialect that they have been exposed to.  Everything you read is an experience that influences how you communicate, however subtly.

Sometimes we have a strong sense of what we want to say but can’t figure out how to say it convincingly. It’s a constant hurdle for the writer, one which I’ve tried to overcome multiple times as I write this very blog post.

That is why reading is invaluable. Ideas and feelings that are obscure can become lucid when articulated by somebody else.  Reading not only expands your vocabulary, it teaches you how to utilize the vocabulary you already have.

A writer never realizes their potential, because their potential is boundless. There is no finish-line. A writer is constantly evolving. Ask the same writer to write about the same topic five years apart and you will likely find two different products. New books and articles we read shape how we communicate. Not only that, they shape how we think.

“Think before you speak. Read before you think.”

– Fran Lebowitz, The Fran Lebowitz Reader

 Some writing is dull and some writing is clever. Some writing is succinct and some writing is bloated. To put it simply, there is good writing and there is bad writing. So how does one improve their writing? Writing workshops and grammar lessons will only take you so far. In my mind there are two ways to improve your writing: practice and reading.

We often neglect books or long articles and essays because we find ourselves overwhelmed with other responsibilities. We think we don’t have time for it. If you want to be an effective communicator there is no excuse. Reading and writing go hand-in-hand.

Instead of fooling around on your smartphone or tablet while commuting to work, read something. Instead of counting sheep in bed, read a book. Instead of turning on the TV while eating breakfast, read a magazine, article, or essay (http://www.aldaily.com has daily suggestions covering a wide array of topics).

Everybody knows that reading is beneficial. It educates, it elicits complex emotions, and it helps us see the world from new perspectives. People still neglect it. If you want to succeed as a writer, blogger, or PR practitioner there is no excuse. Make reading a habit and you will find the time spent is a small price to pay for the benefits you will receive.

“Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.”
– Charles William Eliot