On reading and its connection to writing.

Good readers make good writers / good writers are good readers
The above is a syllogism for the literary crowd. While there are bound to be exceptions this holds true enough of the time to equate with common sense. While there is the occasional writer who rarely reads as an adult I would venture to say they all would admit to tons of reading when younger. Reading captures the imagination like few other endeavors can. Whether fiction, poetry, educational, or biographical there is almost always a deeper level of interaction and intimacy when you read a book than when you watch a movie. A good story buries itself deep as you read it and becomes part of you. While there are some movies that can lay claim to our hearts and imaginations it seems that more often than not it is a book that does so. We will often watch movies in groups or at parties, but a cherished book is almost always a private affair.

Reading has the potential to expand not only your imagination but your education as well. I believe that the wider a person’s reading ranges the greater the potential for not only creativity, but also the ability to communicate. Whether by spoken or written words an avid reader will develop both a greater vocabulary and an intuitive understanding of its use. In this wise a good reader will develop an ear for good writing. Furthermore, they will more than likely be able to not only recognize it on a written page, but be able to put it there themselves.

What drives someone to write? I do not speak of that which must be written for a job or communiqué, but that which would be termed optional or perhaps even recreational. An author’s life can be a difficult one fraught with doubt and rejection. Long hours of labor are put on display for the judgment of others who may not think the endeavor is justified.
So why Write?…..that is a thought for another time as mine is at an end for now.