How to Read Like a Writer

Before you were a writer, you were a reader. Most children learn the art of reading before they ever touch a pencil, let alone string sentences together. Maybe a caregiver read books to you before bed, or you pored over wordless comics in the funny papers, or a teacher captivated you and your classmates during storytime. 

It’s hard to be a writer and not appreciate reading. It’s often where we first discover the drive to tell our own stories, explore deep questions, and spread meaning. 

But writers have more to gain from this practice than mere entertainment (though, of course, that’s always present). Reading is how we build knowledge, learn craft, investigate new ideas, and judge our own work. 

While the act of reading remains the same, the way you engage with written material impacts its effects. Learn how to take notes, ask questions, and make interpretations while reading like the thoughtful writer you are. 

Reading as Research

Reading is our introduction to the world of writing. It teaches us everything from story structure and characterization to description and diction. For many of us, it’s also an introduction to the world, period. Reading allows us to travel to new places, meet different people, and explore unique viewpoints. 

Reading as research is a dual practice: it helps writers develop content and craft. 

While reading in any capacity will naturally impart this knowledge, writers can take a more active approach by:

• Rereading – How many times have you read a work once and felt confident enough to recount it in its entirety? Unless you have a photographic memory, the odds are slight. Rereading offers writers the chance to better digest a work and uncover meaning they may have missed on the first go. You can reread a work after you’ve finished it, but don’t be afraid to reread select passages you didn’t fully understand or want to delve deeper into. 

• Taking notes – Whether reading nonfiction or a novel, you can recall and analyze far more information by taking diligent notes. Be sure to tailor your note-taking to the medium and your personal learning goals. If you’re researching a specific era or event to include in your writing, you’ll likely note down important facts and interesting people (think back to your time in History class!). 

Conversely, if you’re reading a story, consider what you hope to learn and focus your notes on it: Do you want to explore different uses of dialogue? Tropes? Plot structures? Remember to maintain an open mind: you might stumble upon a noteworthy insight you weren’t expecting.

Writers read to research all kinds of writing elements, from history to genre to grammar. But what do you call research that doesn’t have a specific aim or fit into a neat category?

Reading as Inspiration

Many writers choose not to read while working on a new story. They may think it’ll influence their own writing, skew their perceptions, or maybe just take time away from their work. 

This by no means detracts from reading’s power to inspire writers. 

Whether you read for inspiration before starting a project or during the writing process, use these tips to discover new ideas and unlock deeper meaning for your own work:

• Collect your inspiration – Create a collage of quotes that stand out to you. Doodle reactions and questions in the margins. Underline, highlight, star, and dogear. Record a conversation with a friend discussing what you love about it. Whatever helps you engage with an inspiring work and keep that inspiration for later, do it.  

• Ask “why” – Think about a book, poem, or essay you like. Then ask yourself, “Why?” Why does this work resonate with you? What strategies does it use to create this effect? When reading for inspiration, don’t stop at thinking, “This is inspiring.” Only by confronting this feeling and teasing out the whys will you be able to harness this inspiration to write.  

I can’t direct you towards your inspiration, only writing that has personally inspired me. However, the great thing about inspiration is that you know it when you find it. And when you do, be sure to take note of it. 

Reading as Your Own Reader

Finally, as a writer, you must read your own work—often over and over again. Whether you’re revising, proofing, or just refreshing your memory on an early chapter, you have to engage with your work as a reader. 

This offers benefits beyond catching grammatical errors and shoring up plotholes. It allows you to enter the mind of your readers and anticipate their reactions. 

But how can you take a step back from your role as writer? Here are a few strategies you can try:

• Put it away – A poetry professor of mine told us that he will write a poem—and then stick it in a drawer (or, more commonly, a computer folder). He often leaves them there for weeks or months at a time, until he’s nearly forgotten about it. Then, when he finally pulls it back out, he can read it with fresh, (more) objective eyes. Not only can this distance help you make more astute edits, it can help you become your own reader. 

• Read it out loud – You know how if you say a word over and over, it starts to sound fake? Maybe don’t go that far. But you can start to create distance between you and your work by reading aloud—or even having someone else read it to you. 

• Roleplay – As you read your work, put yourself in the mind of your reader: What might they enjoy about your writing? What might cause some confusion? What do they want to read most? Don’t worry—if acting isn’t your strong suit, you can always ask for the help of a beta reader (which you can find through communities like The Writer’s Workout!). 

Just as you develop a unique writing practice that works for you, create your reading practice around the strategies that benefit you most. 

Finally, remember: Writing is not a wholly solitary pursuit—and neither is reading. Feel free to discuss what you’re reading with family, friends, and peers, ask for suggestions, join (or start) a book club, post your favorite passages on social media—whatever brings you closer to your reading community. 

And when you close your book, you can return to the blank page refreshed and ready to write. 

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About the author:

Lindsey is almost always writing, whether it’s a short story, copywriting project, Writer’s Workout blog post, or carefully crafted Instagram comment. With the spare time she digs out of the couch cushions, she’s usually crocheting, adventuring with her friends, or thinking about how she should be reading more. She splits her time between Upstate New York, where she grew up, and Boston, where she'll continue to grow.