Why writers should always read twice
Philip Charter
?? Writing for ?itcoin leaders & companies (check my 'proof of words') | ?? Full-time Author, Editor & Ghostwriter | ?????? Part-time cat herder
There’s nothing like opening a new book and having no idea what happens next. Creative writing is especially exciting to read as a consumer. That's what we do first: consume.
The first reading happens through our eyes (and sometimes ears). We are keeping pace with the story — what will happen next? In a compelling tale, the reader speculates on how the story will turn out, and reaches a point, usually late in the narrative, where they become sure of the outcome.
The second reading is what turns us from consumers into writing analysts. The second reading comes from the mind — the memory, to be precise. The purpose is not to understand exactly what happened and in what order. Instead, the reader speculates on what it all means and if you are a writer, how the author tells the story. Even if you think a book is not great, there's a lot you can learn from analysing the strengths and weaknesses of the prose.
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How reading twice helps you become a better writer
Appreciation
In good books we always find passages that are worth reading twice. Sometimes we pause and reread them before moving on. If we go back to them later, we can savour them without the rush that made us turn the page the first time.
Patience
One of the big forces that drives our life is curiosity. On the second reading, there’s less curiosity, assuming you still remember what the book’s about. With that curiosity toned down, you may have to make more of an effort to turn the pages. When you do this, you automatically develop your patience little by little.
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Memory
Our memories need repetition to recall text-based information. For most of the books we read just once, we forget the characters and even most of the action, to say nothing of the style. But when we go back to them, it’s like treading a path we’ve already walked. Remembering a great text will give you a richer understanding and you'll be able to discuss it in more detail.
Editing
The second time we read, we pay more attention to the syntax, style, structure and diction. You can use a pen to highlight passages. Make notes. This technical analysis will help you edit your own work more effectively.
Ownership
Only a chosen few books get pride of place on our bookshelf. These are the books we recommend to friends and family. These books become emotional and intellectual extensions of ourselves. These are the books we read twice or more.
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Next time you are rushing through a book, eager to consume its wisdom, consider slowing down. The next time you reach for a new text, consider reading something old. Something familiar. Pick up your pen and get ready to take notes. The benefits of a second reading may surprise you.
Have you read any great stories or memorable books twice? Let me know in the comments.
German and ESL Teacher
3 年The Testament by John Grisham
Helping people in Slovakia to speak English with confidence, clarity and ease.
3 年Yes, and I actually have couple of books that I re-read every year, and it's always great experience. I wish their authors knew... :-)
award-winning interdisciplinary artist, creative life & writing coach, and Granny- solopreneur extraordinaire! ?? Years of experience in directing, writing, performing, and producing???
3 年I don't often re-read from cover-to-cover, but since I take notes and highlight when I read it helps to find what I am looking for easily. I have read "Letters to a Young Poet" multiple times in different translations, however. Something I have done with novels lately is to read AND listen to the audiobook. It is a different experience and audiobook actually teach me about writing that I would not "get" with simply reading.
Empowering Motivated Engineers to Broaden Their Employment Opportunities Through Improving Their Advanced English Communication Skills
3 年Funnily enough I always tell people that I never read a book twice, however I never get rid of books. I've got loads of them. Maybe I'll have a go!
Speculative Fiction Writer
3 年Very good points. As context, I'm 64, and haven't been seriously writing until a dozen or so years ago, so most of my reading life has been as a reader, not as a writer. What I've reread the most often is Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings - not for analysis, but mostly for love of the story (I discovered it in the '70's when I was still in my teens, and read it 9 or 10 times by the time I was in my late 30's. It's been almost 30 years since I looked at it. I reread Rowling's Harry Potter books 3 times for much the same reason, although the 3rd time I paid more attention to how she worked with characters and plot. The main thing I gain from rereading is a chance to see how the writer set up their foreshadowing. It's like watching The Sixth Sense - (trying not to have spoilers) the first time through, you watch for the story, and you don't know the surprise ending until you arrive there. The next time through, you see all the clues you missed because you didn't know they were there. Currently I'm rereading Patrick Rothfuss' The Name of the Wind, and I'm catching so many things I missed the first time through because the reader doesn't have enough information to know they're important until you've read the 2nd book (The Wise Man's Fear.) I hope he finishes the third book soon so I can see if I'm right about my guesses. Thanx for the post!