A while back a group of us were giving advice to a high schooler.
It’s a great big world out there and she wanted wisdom from some jaded former journalists. There’s a simple piece of advice I like to give about a writer’s most important tool.
No, it’s not Grammarly. Or a thesaurus. Or a half-empty bottle of booze.
It’s a library card.
I don’t know why so many people leave the library after childhood – maybe they come back, but only to bring their own children. I understand it’s much easier to lay back and watch mindless TV or do a million other things than “Hey, I want to read a book.”
But my advice to someone who wants to be a better writer: read a lot.
Expose yourself to good writing
There may be a lot of bad writing out there, but there’s also some really, really good stuff.
I recently read Wright Thompson’s latest book and frequently put it down after reading a perfect passage, said “That is so [explicative] good!” and then picked it up and continued reading.
Many athletes watch and emulate the greats and writers should be no different. That’s not to say to steal their style and voice. But notice the clarity, the rhythm, the flow, the word choice – the way it feels like somebody is talking to you.
That’s why reading people who are better writers than you is a great way to improve your writing.
Expose yourself to new concepts
When I was younger, everything was sports.
I would read the sports page. I would read ESPN. If it was a book, it would be a biography on Ted Williams or Sandy Koufax.
Then I got older.
When I say “read a lot,” I mean a lot of different types of books too. Read good fiction and good non-fiction. Read about Pluto. Read about the Haymarket Riot. Read about the origins of Instagram.
You may only recall a few things in a 300-page book, but that’s okay. It’s about slowly building a breadth of knowledge. Otherwise, you’ll be sitting around waiting for the conversation to turn to Sandy Koufax.
Exposed to technical writing
Reading a lot does more than build your information reservoir.
Reading books about topics you know nothing about lets you see how writers explain complex subjects. When you are reading about physics or the Wright brothers, is everything clear? Or is it a bunch of vague gobbledygook? Are you able to follow along?
What about their writing made life easier for you as a reader? Are they using simple words? Analogies? Taking things slow? Are they making it interesting?
When the time comes when you have to write about a technical subject, use those skills to craft really good copy. You know how it feels to be in the readers’ shoes. You know how refreshing it is to read something in a way you understand.
¡Viva Biblioteca!
Libraries are much more than a place to stop so you can go to the bathroom.
There are books and magazines, yes, but I get the latest music and a good movie that’s only on a streaming service I don’t want to pay for. Hell, I was even able to rent a stud finder when I was hanging a heavy frame. As a writer, though, a simple library card helps build the foundation you need to improve your craft without costing much of anything – just ask Will Hunting.
It’s unfortunate that streaming services have won, but they have. I understand the Siren’s song of YouTube rabbit holes and binging shows made to psychologically get you to binge them has pushed modern society away from reading and critical thinking.
But if you want to improve as a writer, realize that a library card should be your best friend.
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