One thing you must do...

...to become a better writer

When I mentor and coach writers, I offer customized advice. Their best next step depends, of course, on where they find themselves on the journey. What do they need to do to become a better writer, to move toward their goal of getting published?

You can get better at any pursuit, sharpen any skill, hone your expertise in any area. Writing is the same. You never arrive. Learning is a lifelong endeavor. But you have to take a step, do the next thing that will move you along the path.

For writers, one way to learn is to simply practice writing. But that is not enough. Because if you do not know what good writing is, practicing will simply reinforce bad habits and poor execution.

Imagine, for example, wanting to get good at a sport where precision matters, like golf. You could go to the driving range and just hack away. But chances are, you’d just build muscle memory around poor form. You might not get better at golf. A few lessons first would set you on the right path to actually becoming a golfer.

So yes, writers should practice. But what you practice matters.

So how can you know what good writing is? As I’ve mentioned in previous newsletters, you can improve your writing by taking a writing class. You could join a writers’ group, hire an editor or coach. But one of the easiest ways to improve your writing is simple and doesn’t cost a thing: read good writing.

Read promiscuously. Read everything and anything: mysteries, historical novels, non-fiction, magazines, newsletters like this one, books about writing. Read for the sheer joy of it.

Read consciously. Notice what authors do with words, how they construct sentences. Let the rhythm of good writing sink into your subconscious. Pay attention to word choice, rhythm, construction. Notice both the strengths and weaknesses of what you read.

Read cheaply. Thanks to your local library, reading costs nothing but hours of your time. I love buying books and will always buy them, but I also am a frequent flyer at my local library.

When my kids were in grade school, they’d sign up for summer reading programs, a joint venture with their school and the library. They’d keep track of what they read to earn some sort of prize or award. Maybe you remember summer reading programs with fondness, or maybe you don’t.

This summer, why not construct your own summer reading program? Let’s do this together, Powerful Story writers! Below is a list of a few things I’ve read recently. Please put your own book recommendations in the comment section!

Fiction

The Women by Kristin Hannah. I read this for my book club. Loved it. It’s the story of a Frankie, a young girl in the 1960s. When her brother heads off to Vietnam, she figures out a way to follow him by signing up to be an Army nurse. The characters are well-crafted and authentic, and the historical details are well-researched. There’s friendship, romance and heartbreak; trauma and healing. I loved it.

The Measure. Whoa—this book was super intriguing. It’s a sort of speculative fiction book: one morning, people all over the world find a box on their doorstep. In it is a piece of string, some long, some short. Turns out that the strings tell you exactly how much of your life is left. The world’s response to this situation is intriguing. Soon, discrimination against “short-stringers” occurs. Why would you hire someone who’s going to die soon, right? Some folks refuse to open their boxes, not wanting to know—but that doesn’t change their fate. This is one of the best novels I have read recently.

Non-fiction

The Sin of Certainty by Peter Enns. Enns is a controversial New Testament professor who candidly describes his own doubts and questions. Like Enns, I come from a subculture that valued “knowing what you believe” and believed every word of the bible was literal and true and inerrant. And also like Enns, I’ve come to question and doubt some of what I was taught. Enns subtitle says it all: “Why God desires our trust more than our ‘correct’ beliefs.” If you’re a Christian wrestling with doubts, this book will help.  

The Art of Memoir by Mary Karr. If you aspire to write memoir or personal story, this book is essential, alongside Karr’s actual memoirs (she’s written a few, start with The Liars Club). Karr brings years of teaching writing to this book, offering clear instruction on the process of writing memoir. She’s also just a joy to read.

Okay, friends, it’s your turn! What are you reading this summer? What do you recommend, and why?

P.S. If you’re like me and sometimes forget what you read, you might want to jump over to Goodreads. You can set up a free account there, interact with other readers, review and rate books, make a list of books you’d like to read, etc. Connect with me there via my author page.

P.P.S. The amazon links in this post are affiliate links. If you click through and purchase, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. As I said, you can get your books at the library but if you’d rather buy, doing so through the links helps support this free publication!