Home » Writing & Publishing » Grammar & Word Usage » Creative Reading Makes Creative Writing

Creative Reading Makes Creative Writing

© Cathy Allen

Everyone knows that in order to write, you must first be able to read. So it stands to reason: if you would write well, you must read well. And I don't just mean you can read per se, or even read fast or eloquently. You must read creatively.

So many people read just to pass the time. What do they gain? Pay attention to your state of mind when you read. Does your mind wander? Are you taking in useful information? Are you a part of the writer's world?

I don't suggest for one minute that anyone give up on fiction. Does the fiction you read enhance your education? Does it make you a better person? When you put the book down, do you feel like you're setting aside a wonderful, exciting world? Or do you even remember what it's about later? Do you read just because the book was recommended by someone you want to impress? Or do you feel like the characters are your friends?

I can't say it better than John F. Genung did in his text, Practical Elements of Rhetoric, in 1894. "While the reader is receptive, while he is being acted upon by what he is reading, he is at the same time originative, vigorously acting on the same subject-matter, shaping it into a new product, according to the color and capacity of his own mind." What a sentence!

Obviously, if you want to write for children, your language will be less formal, but it should be no less informative.

What is creative reading? It first must create mental alertness by inspiring your imagination. How else will you stay awake or remember what you've read? Next, creative reading should train your eye in style and grammar. There are several types of creative reading, which should all be exercised regularly by writers.

Disciplinary reading sounds scary, like something you were forced to do in school. The good news is that you pick the topics and articles or books. You can read at your own pace, and the only grade you'll get is one you give yourself.

Read with diligence and attention. Stick with what you're reading; don't give up because the words are too hard. Grab a dictionary. If a sentence is too hard, study its syntax, or context. Read ahead a few sentences; maybe it will come to you. The point here is to learn.

Don't try disciplinary reading while you're chasing the two-year-old. It won't work. Wait until the kids nap, turn off the phone, and have a paper and pen nearby to jot down things you want to look up later. This is studying, isn't it? But it's not so bad when you study what excites you.

The copyright of the article Creative Reading Makes Creative Writing in Grammar & Word Usage is owned by . Permission to republish Creative Reading Makes Creative Writing in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.