Reading

A lot of the tips and writing tools I discuss on this blog are things I apply when I'm revising and editing.  They're tools that I make conscious decisions to use; they're parts of a deliberate strategy. 

But one thing I always say when I teach writing workshops is this:  Read a lot.  Nothing will ever do a better job of showing you how to put words together.  Reading teaches us pacing and rhythm.  It even teaches us the basic mechanics:  the general length of a paragraph, for example.  Imagi...