The Power of Reading

"The Power of Reading" is a class which I take at school. It sounds mysterious, intriguing. Well, it isn't. There is a box of obscure YA books which is put at the front of the room. Everyone takes a book. We then sit and read for the period. That's it. Twice a week. You may think that sounds dull and a waste of time - precious time which could be spent writing - but believe me, it is invaluable.

A writer is a word-wright - by that I don't mean we make up words, but that we use them. They are what we craft with. There are all sorts of wonderful, bizarre words out there which we can use (sparingly) in our writing. Part of the art of writing is keeping the balance right, knowing just when to bring out a real gem of a word, without it sounding out of place and awkward. Sometimes we find a word which fits in with a satisfying mental click, flowing so well into our story that we have to stop and smile. Where do we learn these words? In books! And where do we learn when to  smuggle them in and when to get rid of all traces of their existence? In books!

I mentioned what a small part of the art of writing was, but we still haven't covered the real deal yet, the thing which all writers must do. That is... using the mundane words. Yes, I know, anti-climactic. But true. Think about it logically. Imagine you are George Orwell. You are writing the opening for 1984. It begins:

'It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.'

But then you think - wouldn't this be better with some more elaborate language (or what my primary school called Wow Words)? So you change it:

'Twas a luminous glacial day in April, and the chronometers were pealing thirteen.'

I think we can all agree that the second is a disastrous opening line. The first, it happens, is considered one of the greatest of all time. You notice that not one 'Wow' word is used?

Many people from my primary school who haven't wilfully read a book since then would probably tell you that the second is a better option. Although it doesn't take a great deal of common sense to realise how ridiculous that is, when you think about it, what is the main reason we know that the first is better? We read! If you want to be a writer, you must first be a reader. None of us are born naturally able to write a bestseller the moment we can hold a pen. No amount of writing courses are going to help if you don't immerse yourself in books. All sorts of genres, the good, the bad, the popular, the obscure, the new, the old. Reading expands your mind. When you read, you learn. You find out how to write for your target audience and how to write something which will stand out. You will see examples of what works and what doesn't. It will enlighten you, uplift you and improve you as a writer and a person. So keep writing and get reading!

Zoe