Reading to Learn

This week's post is going to be relatively short as I am currently in the thick of my final exams, but as I am about to have a lot of free time opening up during my weeklong Thanksgiving break about eight days from now, I have been thinking quite a lot about what to read, and thus wanted to discuss books a bit in this post. As I have shared before, every great writer needs also to be a great reader- taking in as much literature as possible (while still putting forth effort to savor and think on it) in order to keep the creative muse alive and constantly be getting inspired and exposed to new ideas. This is an absolutely critical part of getting better and being able to really enjoy your work. Also, it just so happens to be incredibly fun. I wanted to share a few books that have made a very significant impact on me as a writer (but also as a person), as I think there is tremendous value in gaining exposure to these texts and other great works from a skill development perspective. On Writing and Zen in the Art of Writing by Stephen King and Ray Bradbury respectively are fantastic texts on the actual craft of writing, sharing stories about the writing processes and what works for these the two famous, brilliant authors. I preferred King's On Writing as I found it to be a bit more well-written with more to say in terms of specifics and genuinely insightful advice. Both great, very important texts for any young writer. The Stranger and Notes from Underground are hard yet genius pieces of existentialist/philosophical literature, a sort of semi-genre that I absolutely adore. They require the utmost thought to get the most out of, and manage to do so much with almost no plot to go off of. Camus and especially Dostoyevsky are truly masters and their abilities to conjure up raw, painful feeling from the most mundane actions is inspiring. Any book by Cormac McCarthy will offer an excellent example of stylized writing done well. This man is king of his singular highly descriptive, punctuation-light, long-winded manner of storytelling, and is so very good at pairing this stylized method with appropriate narratives. Look to him for tips on how to make your sentence structures and individual voice stand out. I am convinced that Hamlet by William Shakespeare may just be the best plot ever written. All the characters are so rich and well-defined, the story is riveting and unique, and it has stood the test of time impossibly well. In terms of building compelling characters and conflict, this is a masterclass and my personal favorite Shakespeare. Last rec, and a bit of a wild one: Anthony Bourdain is one of my favorite writers out there. Yes, the TV food show host. His books Kitchen Confidential and A Cook's Tour are honestly favorites of mine, and the way he writes with so much charm, confidence, and style allows his words to ooze personality. It is impossible for me not to read his stuff without hearing his iconic voice in my head, and besides that I am a sucker for good travel writing anyway. Certainly not to be taken as seriously as some of the other texts on this list, but a great time. Hopefully these recommendations are of some help. These texts have changed my life and the way I think as a writer, and they should for anybody else interested in the craft.