I've been getting a few emails from my online friends, and they always ask how can people "write so good". I reply with a simple question: "Do you read books?".
After a pause, they reply with a simple: "no."
For all you new and writers in training, it is important that I tell you how ESSENTIAL reading is to writing.
Reading and Writing is like the Ying and Yang of literature. One cannot exist without the other. If you have never written an essay before, you can't simply learn it, like you do with Math. Writing, like drawing, is an art that can only be done through observation and practice.
When we read, our active mind is continuously trying to make sense of the text. We notice words and connectors, and we pair them together in the way the author made it so we can understand what is happening. At the same time, your subconscious mind is learning how to write. We notice how authors use certain words and structures, how their words seem to coalesce together like an intricate woven rope, how the way they write seems so natural.
Every time your read, your mind will pick up these techniques. The more you read, the better your chances of literary success. So if you're a new writer, get your fundamentals down and pick up a book. Build up your foundation before you start that ladder.
May your joy in writing lead you to happiness,
Jay
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