Reading and writing 

Any time of year is a good time for reading, but winter in New England is a perfect opportunity to explore the pile-up of books and magazines many of us have on our bedside tables. Since I love to read, this almost makes me like winter.

It’s common knowledge that reading improves writing. Recently, however, I’ve been thinking about the variety of sources, printed and otherwise, that help me write, and write better.

Radio: In May 2021 WBUR aired a story about mental health challenges among teenagers. The story profiled a young girl who spent weeks in the ER before space was found for her in a community setting. I was so moved that I immediately wrote an article for young people that, uncharacteristically, required very little editing.  Reading about this brave girl improved the quality of my writing.

Literature: Recently I read Virginia Woolf’s To the Lighthouse. I eagerly turned to page one and immediately encountered Woolf’s occasional use of long, up to half-page sentences. I was fascinated to find that soon I breezed through them, aided by her well-placed commas, while learning about the value of varying sentence structure and length to keep the reader alert and interested.

Children’s books: Children’s books must quickly get and keep the attention of busy kids. Rhythm, rhyme, and brevity are common tools. There are so many fabulous examples in the explosion of children’s books. I recently encountered Majestic: Celebrating Maya Angelou, by Kwame Alexander. Here’s one stanza:

Be brave,
Like a new seed bursting
With extraordinary promise.

My favorite radio show: I plan my Saturday mornings around Scott Simon’s show, Weekend Edition Saturday. Simon is a wonderful interviewer with fascinating guests from all areas of life. In June 2021 he interviewed Yusef Komunyakaa. I was inspired to include some of what Komunyakaa had to say in my article about lyrical writing.

Poetry: Last week I read American Smooth by Rita Dove, which appeared in my poem-a-day email from the Poetry Foundation. In less than 30 seconds I learned something about precision, rhythm, and the perfect pairing of unlikely words that can foster immense reader satisfaction.

Essays: On Monday mornings I receive brief essays about everyday life from the journal River Teeth. I’m drawn to these mini stories because they flow easily, contain unexpected surprises, and avoid superfluous language.

Books on writing: There are lots of books on writing. I have found Klinkenborg’s Several short sentences about writing especially useful, and it’s a very easy read.

Email: Don’t forget about your daily correspondence. Some of the people I exchange emails with are excellent writers.

What I’ve learned

I’ve learned a lot from the range of what I read and listen to. A podcast, an interview, or even a cookbook can spark an idea or contain useful lessons. Once I recognized the value of a rich variety of material my perspective broadened, my writing improved, and my love of learning deepened.