If you want to improve as a writer, you not only need to write. You need to read. Writing and reading are two sides of the same coin. You need to do both to achieve your potential.
By reading, you’re exposing yourself to different voices and viewpoints. And you can pick up some new techniques. Not only that, you get a great opportunity to see what other writers are doing well and what they’re doing badly. Sometimes, you might just be blown away by what you read. So much so that you’ll try harder to improve.
Of course, there’s definitely nothing wrong with reading for pleasure. It can be relaxing to lose yourself in a book, no matter how good or bad.
While I take my own advice and read a lot, I’ve actually cut down on a lot of reading. I deliberately put myself on a low-information diet and, to be honest, I’m not missing out on much (if anything).
That said, I still read quite a bit. Here’s a sampling of the types of things that I read, and why.
Kurz Nachgedacht
Since I do a few presentations each year, I constantly try to learn more about speaking in public. And, whenever possible, I try to apply those lessons to my writing. It doesn’t always happen, but when it does I find myself growing as a writer.
Lately, I’ve been reading a book called The Backchannel by Cliff Atkinson. It’s an interesting look at (obviously) the backchannel — in this case, an audience using Twitter to create and maintain a conversation about a presentation that goes beyond the room in which the presentation is being made.
One concept from the book that struck me as being very useful to writers is what Atkinson calls The Four Tweets.
Kurz NachgedachtWhy? Well, last week was interesting. To say the least. I got hit rather suddenly by the migraine from Hades last Monday. It laid me out for the next three days.
I’m in catch-up mode now, and aside from the usual weekly collection of links you probably won’t see anything new in this space this week.
Come back next week when I hope to be back on schedule.
Kurz Nachgedacht