Has a well-meaning English teacher ever used this line on you: "The best writers are readers"? I heard it a lot in high school and college, and the reasoning behind it makes sense: By reading, you expose yourself to good writing, and you learn to write well by example. Sure, I get it—but, just the same, I've always felt that there was something missing from the Reader = Writer formula. If you read every book in the canon of English literature, I'm sure it would improve your vocabulary, your sense of story, and your ease with writing. But if your goal as a writer is to develop your own unique voice and to use that voice to say something that's never been said in quite the same way…then part of the formula has to include living—hands-free of books—with your eyes wide open. In my view, the best writers are the ones who pay attention to the world around them and then step back and try to sort the whole crazy mess out on a blank page.
What's going on around you? What are the all-consuming questions that lead to sleepless nights in your life? Whether it's your take on first love, your perspective on life as a teenager, or your insightful musings about reality TV—when you pick a topic that's inspired by your own questions and experiences, it's a great opportunity for authentic, inspired storytelling. After all, the way that you alone see the world through your own unique lens is worth exploring. So read everything you can get your hands on…but don't be afraid to explore your own world, too—it's worth writing about.
What's on your mind or catching your eye today? Anything worth writing about?
Kristin Marang,
Editor, HarperCollins Publishers
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