The Importance of Reading

In recent years, we have begun to understand on a deeper level the complexity of reading. Neuroscientists have conducted various studies to explore what is happening in our brains when we read, including the connection between reading and empathy and studies into complex reading and comprehension in children who are read to before starting school. There are even whole books dedicated to this science.

The reading done by writers, though, takes on a different kind of importance; it’s vital to a writer’s craft. Whenever I begin teaching a new class or start working with a new client, I always ask what people are reading. I often find writers aren’t reading as broadly or in as structured a way as they could, which hinders them when they sit down to work on their own manuscripts.

Reading broadly is more nuanced than simply upping the number of books you read each year. Take a look at the books you’ve read lately to see if you might be in a pattern. Maybe you’re only reading one type or genre of book, or books by one author. Maybe you’re in a cycle of only reading nonfiction. Or that you’re only reading within one perspective or a perspective similar to your own. If you find that your reading list is a bit limited, consider picking up some books that fall outside of your comfort zone. By compiling a reading list that goes beyond our go-to selections, we expand our understanding of the world and how people tell stories, which naturally expands our skillsets and viewpoints as writers.

In addition to reading broadly, it’s also important for writers to read in a structured, focused way. Here are a few of the books in my reading pile for the novel I’m revising.

If you take a closer look, you can probably guess that I’m working on a middle grade fiction manuscript that involves ghosts. I’m studying these and other stories to better understand writing for this age range, writing a ghost story, and just good writing in general. I keep a notebook next to me as I read, noting elements I want to consider in my manuscript. So far, I’ve made notes such as, “why do the ghosts stay,” “determine how long each ghost has been there,” and “consider the secret spaces only ghosts can access.”  

As you can see, my notes are not about trying to do what others have done but instead allowing those readings to spark ideas that will help fill holes in my manuscript and my understanding. By reading in this way, I strengthen my manuscript while getting a better understanding of the market for a book like mine and the genre in general.

With this in mind, take another look at what you’ve been reading lately and see if any of it aligns with your current manuscript. If not, consider expanding your reading to include things that do. You may also want to consider what elements of your manuscript you are struggling with, and what books (or essays or collections, etc.) could help provide clarity. And if you read something and think the author handled a particular aspect of the narrative well, go back into the text and explore why it felt successful to you.

Reading as a writer is anything but straightforward. But a broader and more focused reading list will help writers understand storytelling, gain new perspectives of the world, and improve their craft and manuscript.  

Denise Santomauro is an editor and writer who has too many houseplants and bakes way more than should be allowed. You can find out about her here.