Writing 101: How to Improve Your Writing... Read Another Book!

I'm a big fan on reading and I'd much rather be writing and reading than just about anything else. Of course this usually leads to the accusation that my face is buried inside of a book. or the comment of Holy smokes another book? Reading is a great past time, especially if you are a writer.

It helps to improve your chances of publishing a book when you read books from the genre you are writing on. It also improve the knowledge you have on the subject. The reason a writer must read books is that this is the simplest way in terms of how to improve your writing.

Dependent upon the time of day I suppose they can well accuse me of too much time in front of the computer. Or reading a book. Right now, I should really be finishing off my work on my recent non-fiction on the Second World War, but to no avail.

Hence the comment "Holy Smokes, Another book!" (well it wasn't quite the comment, but this is a G-rated hub, so we'll let that be. The book in question? Harry Turtledove and Richard Dreyfuss' book the Two Georges.

You're probably going hold one... wait a minute, Richard Dreyfuss the ACTOR? yes that Richard Dreyfuss.

It's an alternate history, and I'm totally enjoying it. The problem that I have is I am fast running out of space at my house, and most importantly my bookshelves. Okay, bear in mind I have as a personal library some 600 books, and I do book reviews, so a lot of these books are either hard to find or not out in stores yet.

Still, mind you it begs the question: Why get another book. (before you go asking why I got this book, it is from a second hand store for $5. You can buy it on amazon used.)

This is not a good mystery novel, and it is alternate history, but it is a good alternate history, which is what Turtledove is famous for anyways, no Wars, and no Germany, and of course this is right up my alley with my fascination with what if.

Even though I will probably not read much of his writing it does do one thing for me- it helps me improve my writing. When I read I get ideas- how the author has made something suspenseful or how they created a visual out of words. Publishing a book isn't easy but there is help everywhere-- and that is from books.

Still I do read a lot of books and that means I try to keep out with my writing, and this is something i do to both relax me and learn information that will help me with my writing work. Now I know you're probably thinking why another book?

Well, my reading has lead me to improve my writing, improve my blogs ( Both my writing blog and my blog on Transylvania.) Which in turn helps my readers, since it is easier to read a newer post, or a hub when it is from someone who has some knowledge,.

Which is why I read books on marketing and business and blogging and history and writing and just about anything I can get my hands on.

Be very careful when you read however-- because not every author is great-- or every book of thiers is great. Some authors' published books and it is a hard read, even if they are popular. Take for example Turtledove, he has a good series going but he does fall back on one time period these days, and that is the Second World War-- so what can a writer take from that? If you want to break out sometimes you have to publish something that you might not find interesting. Or think of other means to make money with publishing e-books of a different style under a pen name.

Okay, in all seriousness, why do I read so much?

Partly to improve my writing, I know that some of the writers have given me more information than anywhere else, and I've been known to dog-ear and highlight my more useful books. There is something to be said about a real book in your hands. Although, any published book will work for me.

My history books are a who is who is Second World War history. Yes I do read biography and history, in fact when my non-fiction book is about the Eastern Front in the Second World War, More particularly Romania, and Transylvania to be exact I'd better have a good set of books in my library. I have read so many history books that once my own book was published, I was able to answer a lot of questions from many of my readers.

I go hunting at used books stores for the simple fact that these people barring the library have a great assortment of older books. Helpful I must admit. My own book on writing by Stephen King was found in one, although I do have a good copy that I bought as well. (the used one has the older front picture on it, and some notes by the previous owner.)

I also have a few books on market your online work, The AdSense code explains a lot, for a book on Google AdSense, it does help with the basics. Writing down the bones is a wonderful book. It shows how to do so much with writing as a career. Two books I would buy again in a heartbeat. They are both under $20 dollars and well used by me.

As for reading, yes it does help me write, I've learned the fine art of writing from reading. I encourage everyone to read a couple of writing books, and I've spent way too much time in a library not to know.

So, my answer to holy smokes another book?

I'm on my way to improving my writing and myself.

What would another book do for improving your writing?