Read to write:
The Art and craft of writing
One of the most important and most beneficial things you can do as a writer is to read. Read all the time, read everything, read as a reader, and read as a writer. Read books you love, ones outside your comfort zone, the trending ones, and the more obscure ones, the ones you loved when you were a kid, and new authors you’ve discovered. Every single poem, novella, or book you read will influence you as a writer. So take it all in.
I’ve always annotated the books I’ve read, looking for new words to learn, phrases that struck my fancy, ideas that inspired me or made me think, and passages that resonated with me as a person. Books are my constant companions and constant education. I’m always learning to be a better writer. I usually type up everything I mark in a book, keeping it in a folder on my computer so that if I need to reference it for a project, it's always in my personal library of quotes and inspiration. And now, I’m going to share all of them with you.
This will be a continuous list of books that have offered wonderful insights and inspirations on writing. It will also be continuously updated, so all of that wonderful inspiration will be in one place.
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I’d like to start this series with a book that is a testament to the imposter syndrome, to the feed-the-Book-Tok-beast that we all feel as writers, a book that showed me that what I had to offer would find the right audience and make an incredible impact on each and every one of them, something so much more valuable than hitting any bestseller list.
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
“’There is truth in it, Jo, that’s the secret; humor and pathos make it alive, and you have found your style at last. You wrote with no thought of fame or money, and put your heart into it, my daughter; you have had the bitter, now comes the sweet. Do your best, and grow as happy as we are in your success.’” ”
“Beth went faithful on by herself and did the best she could…never thinking of any reward but to be loved. Long quiet days she spent, not Longley nor idol, for her little world was peopled by imaginary friends.” Ch 4 10:45
“’We never are too old for this, my dear, because it is a play we are playing all the time inn one way or another…’” p.12
“…for with eyes made clear by many tears and a heart softened by the tenderest sorrow, she recognized the beauty of her sister’s life: uneventful, unambitious, yet full of the genuine virtues which smell sweet and blossom in the dust…” Ch 40 5:55
“Jo’s ambition was to do something very splendid; what it was she had no idea, as yet, but left it for time to tell her; and meanwhile, she found her greatest affliction in the fact that she could read, run, and ride as much as she liked.” P.40
“…But he took her for his heroine and grew quite fond of her, as well he might, for he gifted her with every gift and grace under the sun.”
“Don’t laugh at the spinsters, dear girls, for often very tender tragic romances are hidden away in the hearts that beat so quietly under the sober gowns and many silent sacrifices of youth, health, ambition, love itself make the faded faces beautiful in God’s sight.”
“’Watch and prey, dear; never get tired of trying; and never think it is impossible to conquer your fault,’ said Mrs. March…”
““The year is gone, we still unite/ To joke and laugh and read
And tread the path of literature/ That doth to glory lead.” ”
“‘Wouldn’t it be fun if all the castles in the air which we make could come true, and we could live in them?’ Said Jo, after a little pause.” P.148
“‘Hush! It won’t come to anything, I dare say’ but I couldn’t rest till I had tried, and I said nothing about it, because I didn’t want any one else to be disappointed.’” P.158
“Jo’s breath gave out here; and, wrapping her head in the paper, she bedewed her little story with a few natural tears; for to be independent, and earn the praise of those she loved were the dearest wishes of her heart, and this seemed to be the first step toward that happy end.” P.163
“’ Hope and keep busy;’ that’s the motto for us…”
p. 175
“She did not think herself a genius by any means; but when the writing fit came on, unconscious of want, care, or bad weather, while she sat safe and happy in an imaginary world, full of friends, almost as real to her as any in the flesh. Sleep forsook her eyes, meals stood untasted, day and night were all too short to enjoy the happiness which blessed her only at such times, and made these hours worth living, even if they bore no other fruit.” P. 280
“’Criticism is the best test of such work, for it will show her both unsuspected merits and faults, and help her to do better next time. We are too partial; but the praise and blame of outsiders will prove useful, even if she gets but little money.’” P.284
“’You said, mother, that criticism would help me; but how can it, when it’s so contradictory that I don’t know whether I’ve written a promising book or broken all the ten commandments?’ cried poor Jo, turning over a heap of notices, the perusal of which filled her with pride and joy one minute, wrath and dire dismay the next.” P.285
“But if did her good, for those whose opinion had real value gave her the criticism which is an author’s best education; and when the first soreness was over, she could laugh at her poor little book, yet believe in it still, and feel herself the wiser and stronger for the buffeting she had received.” P. 286
““This suited the young lady better than twilight confidences, tender pressure of the had, and eloquent glances of the eye; for with Jo, brain developed earlier than heart, and she preferred imaginary heroes to real ones…” ”
