If you are serious about writing, I suggest you also get serious about reading. Writing is a tricky craft. It cannot be learned from manuals. Even good teachers are limited in their ability to help us. Excellent writing can only be learned by two methods – writing and reading. By reading we immerse ourselves in the craft, learning from others who have already done what we hope to do.
Writing is much like an apprenticeship in its own way. And who best to apprentice from than accomplished authors who thrill us and inspire our imaginations. Try to be an active reader. Think about sentence structures, pacing, imagery or anything else that seems well done. You should take note to learn only. It is impossible, and really a bad idea to copy another’s voice, so don’t try.
I write in two genres – Thriller and Young Adult/Fantasy. When the plot in my manuscript becomes fully formed, I like to read as many books in that genre as I can. I wait until my story is fully formed because I don’t want story elements from other books creeping into mine by osmosis, but I learn from these books as I edit.
So your homework is to start reading a good book. Enjoy!
By Jeff Altabef - author of Fourteenth Colony. Half of my proceeds goes to the Covenant House so enjoy a great political thriller and help homeless youth at the same time. http://www.amazon.com/Fourteenth-Colony-Jeff-Altabef/dp/1625104529/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=13...
