Reading makes you a better writer

When I started writing, I sort of took a break on reading, which sort of sucks. It was good at first, because it was like I was still reading, but I was in control of the story and it took me wherever I wanted it to go. For the last few months (about six, I guess), I haven't really written anything new. I finished editing my novel A Shapeshifter's Memoir, book two if my Lycanthropy Journals trilogy, but I had not written anything new, short story-wise. I thoroughly enjoy writing short stories just as much as I like writing novels. Novels are more of a commitment, and require quite a bit more work. It's easier to write a short story, because it is not so hard to figure out where to take the characters and where to end it, because the story doesn't keep going on. But novels, they tend to require a lot more research and planning. Not that I can't write a novel easily, I wrote Whirlwind start to finish, including editing, in about four months, but I miss the writing part of it all, and then I realized how much I missed reading.

Before I became a writer, I was hardcore into reading. I had to always have some book I was working on, or I felt like my time was wasted. It was like that from the age of eighteen on. God, I have read so many good books. Classics like Lord of the Rings and Dracula, as well as newer books by Stephen King and Dean Koontz. And when I went to Korea for a year, separated from my wife and children (an experience that sucks worse than anything else if you are not single or not a cheating asshole), I determined that I would use that year to be productive, to do new things I had never done but always wanted to. I finished 25% of my first Master's Degree. I learned to play the guitar. And most importantly (to me, that is), I wrote my first novel, and realized that I love it. Since then, so much time went into my writing, that I got to the point that I stopped reading, something that I now realize was a crucial mistake. I write, I've had my stories published (not my novels, unfortunately), but eventually it got to the point where I felt like I was not improving, not growing in my craft, not evolving. And the reason why, is because I stopped reading.

Every writer has their own style, their own way of doing things, and by reading a variety of different things, from a variety of different authors, one can see things that they like or that they do not like in certain styles, and as a writer, it can and naturally does fuse into one's own writing process. So if you are a writer, a necessary way to improve it to read a lot. And not just from one author. Expand and diversify your interests and see what the professionals have to offer you. After all, they've made it, so they must have done something right. If you are not a writer, read something I've written. I have books on Amazon, and some older stuff for free on the internet. Or message me on any interests you might have on my stories or novels. Check out my website for more details. It's http://www.jonathandnichols.com.