How to write well. Step 1: Read

How do you learn to write well?

A lot of people ask me that question, in some form or other. While I may not be an “expert” on the craft of writing (I don’t have a Ph.D., for instance), I have authored three novels, and as a newspaper editor I make my living analyzing and reshaping the written word. 

I have learned a few lessons over the years, and I hope these lessons can help you on your quest to become a better writer. Whether you hope to one day finish a book, want to enter the exciting world of journalism, or just want to punch up your Facebook posts, this series should help you. 

Here’s the first and most important lesson I’ve learned:

To write well, read well

I’m going to let you in on a little secret: I don’t know much about grammar. 

I don’t know what makes past perfect tense so perfect, and I still struggle with the correct pronunciation of “participle.” I failed at diagramming sentences in school, and never bothered to learn how.

But I can edit a newspaper each week to the standards of an unforgiving news industry. How?

I read. 

It’s simple advice, but it’s important advice, and the necessary first step to becoming a better writer.

You might think that "tip" is too obvious, but before you click away from this page ask yourself if you really read enough. Do you read the right books, do you read deeply?

Don’t just read. Read what you want to write. Study it. Immerse yourself in it.

Want to write better news articles? Read a good newspaper. Want to learn how to write like JK Rowling? Read Harry Potter. Pay attention to cadence, rhythm, word choice. Listen to the voice of the piece.

Don’t study the rules of grammar as a starting point. That's boring, and in my opinion not nearly as important. You don't learn to build a tree-house by studying how nails are made. 

Start by reading. Learn to write the way you first learned to speak: through experience.

How do I know if something is grammatically correct? If it sounds right. If it looks right. If it matches my experience. When in doubt, consult your "AP Style Guide" or your “Elements of Style,” but don’t worry if you haven’t memorized all of your conjugations. Read first.

This lesson is the foundation for my writing. In future posts, we’ll discuss imitation, storytelling, and writing techniques, but this lesson – the first lesson – is the most important.

If you don’t read, don’t write.