Whether you consciously realise it or not, everything that you read is informing you in some way. Source Unknown.
Reading is simple, right?
Right?
Pick up a book, open it up and have at it.
Why are you reading?
It’s after dinner, you’re relaxing, and you want to escape. You are reading for pleasure.
You’re studying a course and you have to read the text to understand and there’s a 2000 word essay to be in… well, too soon for your liking. Now you are reading for information. It’s often not a conscious choice, but it is probably why you picked up your ‘guilty pleasure’ novel, instead of the hefty tome proudly titled ‘The Ampersand: Its Usage, Abusage and Evolution Throughout History’ by I M Boering.
Even though the latter has illustrations, and the former requires your imagination.
Sorry ampersand — there’s no competition here.
Do you read more often for pleasure? Or do you continually only read critically? Reading for pleasure not only increases intelligence, but also deepens compassion and empathy. https://oomscholasticblog.com/post/why-reading-best-workout-your-brain
If you read mostly for pleasure, then you will likely excuse, or ignore small plot-holes, slight continuity errors, the occasional typo — it will detract somewhat from your enjoyment, but if the book is otherwise engaging, it won’t really matter to you.
If you read critically, however, then the above-mentioned flaws will drive you MAD, and the book will either be binned or donated, where some other poor suck… er, soul, will have to deal with it.
As writers we often deal quite harshly with a book such as that, and seriously cannot understand how such works could be a bestseller (Fifty Shades, I’m thinking of you) BUT, when we are studying a technique, sometimes we have to grit our teeth and wade in.
With enough practice, we can read critically and for pleasure simultaneously. As I said though, different areas of the brain… so we may be going along just fine — and then we realize that we haven’t noticed any flaws for a few chapters (you were enjoying the story), or that you can’t remember who the main characters are because of a misplaced comma on line 17, page 93. It’s now page 127 and it’s still bothering you. #judgymcjudgeface
There’s a simple solution to this. Read the book twice. If the book was so atrocious that you would rather swallow broken glass, well, 1) Obviously; don’t do that(the broken glass, not re-read the book). 2) Dispose of the book quietly and carefully after making careful note of the authors’ name. You have learned something very valuable through this experience however — this is a good way for you to NOT tell your story. For the books that you love though, leave them for a few weeks, or however long you wish, and then re-read, only critically this time.
I did this with The Twilight Saga by Stephanie Meyer. I loved the books, saw the movies, have the necklace (it came with the popcorn — don’t judge)… and I hated them the second time that I read them.
Plot-holes, plot-holes everywhere…
For a truly enjoyable book, it must floooooow; like a gently, lazy stream with nary a ripple marring its surface, for as far as the eye can see. In this metaphor, the writer is the swan — all serene and composed on top, paddling like mad underneath. What I am saying is that, by the time the book is in your hands, all of the hard work and effort has been done, and the book should be a pleasure to read, even if it tears your heart in twain *cough* White Gold Wielder by Stephen Donaldson *cough*.
To read an ill-written book however, is like pulling teeth with marshmallows — sticky and downright impossible.
We study the works of others, always looking for ways to improve our own writing. We go away; practice, fail, practice some more, fail a bit less, practice again… but each time we fail we learn, and suddenly we realise, we are writing with our own Voice, our own unique and magickal way of turning a phrase, or presenting an image.
For every author differs, and every author is unique; in fact computer programmes exist to identify texts by unknown authors, or to prove authorship in plagiarism cases. People may imitate, but can never duplicate the essence of you.
So to send you on off to your reading nook, I will leave you with an adaptation of the old carpentry adage:
Read twice, write many — and your words will be your own.
A D Riemer.
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