I don’t read enough!

Today, I was reading a blog post from Michael Hyatt, former CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishing and New York Times Bestselling author, about his plan to read fewer e-books and more hard copy books. He had several good reasons for his decision, many of which I agree with wholeheartedly. I prefer hard copy books over e-books, in most cases.

Hyatt’s post got me thinking about my own relationship with books and their importance to me as a writer. I really enjoy reading, but seldom have the opportunity to read longer pieces. I read other blogs and short articles, and I find a little time to read excerpts from books. However, I have read fewer than 5 books, cover to cover, in the last year. As a writer, my reading habits are starting to concern me.

Writers NEED to read.

It is not enough for writers to love words and their impact, we need to consistently learn and improve our writing skills.

As writers, we need to read different types of writing, especially well written material. We need to engage our imaginations and hear other writing voices. Writers can get stuffy if they only read their own material. Reading shorter stories and articles can combat stiff writing, but longer writing pieces, such as fiction and non-fiction books, can be better for  improving story climaxes and rhythm.

If you are a writer or some day hope to become one, take time to read more. Consider reading material outside your target genre and from writers that sound different than you.

I am going to take my own advice. I plan to read at least 10 books this year.

Now to the important part – which books to read. If you have any suggestions, feel free to send me a comment. I will be sure to share a bit about my reading journey in a future blog post. Stay tuned!