Writing Tip: Read!

There can be no better advice for a writer than to read. To read a lot. I've noticed, though, that this really good advice sure isn't appreciated by writers who want a secret key to writing well.

This really is the secret key for all writers: academic, creative, journalistic. Doesn't matter. The more you read the more likely you are to intuitively pick up on the subtle nuances of the trade.

If you're an academic writer there's nothing better you can do than to get deep into your research. Read, read, read until you find the moment where you're ready to write. And it will find you, you won't have to find it.

If you're a creative writer read as much as you can of a variety of writers. You might find drafts influenced by writers you're currently reading so be sure to be patient with yourself as you develop as a reader and writer. Over time, you'll develop your own, unique mark that will be a combination of all your influences.

This is also the best possible advice for writer's block. Stuck with a blank page? Read something, eh?

Kill two birds with one stone and read these great books on writing:

On Writing, A Memoir of the Craft, by Stephen King
Lessons from a Lifetime of Writing: A Novelist Looks at His Craft, by David Morrell
Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, by Anne Lamott
If you Want to Write: A Book About Art, Independence and Spirit, by Brenda Ueland