YA Indie Carnival…What Reading Teaches Me as a Writer

Reading is my most favorite thing in the world…next to writing that is. There is nothing else that can spur the imagination like beautiful words strung together. They're like a diamond necklace dangling off a page. All you want to do is run your itchy fingers over their smooth beauty, over their shiny, appealing, singing sparkle.

I simply don't know how anyone can write well without reading.

"If you don't have time to read, you don't have the time (or the tools) to write." – Stephen King

Case in point. The guy may know a little bit about this whole writing gig I like to claim we share. Presumptuous, I know, but that's a writer's prerogative. And proof that most writer's are a bit on the loopy side. Again, our prerogative. That pic is proof enough, I think. *wink wink*

Anyway, if I were to put into words what reading teaches me as a writer, I'd have to convey to you several key points.

One, it creates an imagination I wouldn't have been capable of otherwise. Words are more powerful than visuals. Period. For instance, I can name two scenes from film and television right now off the top of my head that spoke to me deeply this year. But…I can name at least twenty, yes, twenty different scenes from books I've read throughout my entire life that have stuck with me and I can describe these scenes to you without hesitation and in great detail. And when you feel compelled by something of that nature, the brain goes wild with it, doesn't it? Going off on tangents that could have only been inspired by words on a page. Nothing does that for me like reading does. (Save for music but that's another post entirely.)

Two, it improves the vocabulary exponentially. Reading does for the vocabulary what wax does for my legs. Smooths the edges, removes the unwanted, makes it attractive. I know, what a metaphor! It's not three a.m. where you are, is it Fisher? Why no, Fisher, it isn't! Good, let's continue then. Alright. Vocab. It improves with reading. E.g. advances, ameliorates, amends, augments, betters,boosts, civilizes, comes around, convalesces,corrects, cultivates, develops, doctors up, edits, elevates, emends, enhances, gains ground, helps,increases, lifts, look ups, makes strides, meliorates,mends, perks up, picks up, polishes, progresses,promotes, purifies, raises, rallies, recovers, rectifies,recuperates, refines, reforms, revamps, revises, rises,

sets right, shapes up, sharpens, skyrockets,straightens out, takes off, touches up, turns the corner, updates, upgrades.

There, I think that covers it.

Three, it creates transcendence through an all around knowledge. Reading introduces ideas to you that your mind or your environment can't limit you by and, whoa, is it an amazing high to learn something you'd never thought of before or felt something you'd never dreamed you would. It blows the mind. To rise above your last intellectual layer and peer down at the old you is quite inspiring. Watch out, though. It's addicting. All you'll want to do afterwards is shed the old layers for the new, improved ones.

And all you have to do is pick up a book.

Come see what's new at the Carnival this week!

The rest of my Indie cast are all awaiting your beautiful eyes. So go…

The Amazing Dani Snell

The Incredible Patti Larsen

The Talented Courtney Cole

The Witty Wren Emerson

The Accomplished Nicole Williams

The Clever Laura Elliott

The Skillful Amy Jones

The Staggering P.J. Hoover

The Brilliant Alicia McCalla

The Resplendent Heather Cashman

The Lustrous Abbi Glines

The Polished Cheri Schmidt

The Inventive Cidney Swanson

The Radiant Rachel Coles

The Gifted T.R. Graves

The Phenomenal Cyndi Tefft

The Lovely Lexus Luke

The Sassy Suzy Turner

The Exceptional Gwenn Wright

The Stupendous Kimberly Kinrade

The Quick J.L. Bryan

The Saucy Darby Karchut

The Magnificent M. Leighton

The Impressive Madeline Smoot