As a schoolgirl, I was an aspiring writer, so when my English teacher said reading was the best way to become a good writer, I paid attention and read more. It wasn’t a hardship because I enjoyed reading and have remained an avid reader. I have discovered many benefits to reading, including for education and wellbeing. As a writer, I agree with my teacher; the most significant benefit is its positive impact on my writing skills. Whether you choose a classic, the latest best-seller, non-fiction, graphic novel, blog, magazine or newspaper, I promise you will reap the rewards from reading.
These are five ways reading helps you to become a more effective writer.
1 You will learn from great writers
Immersing yourself in the prose of the greatest writers can only positively affect how we write ourselves – even if we may never reach their level of skill. You don’t have to read the classics to become a better writer or read books associated with work or study. However, whatever you read should be well-written. As you read, you will absorb the vocabulary, grammar, sentence structure, description, and techniques such as metaphors and personification (even if you are unsure what they are) and incorporate this into your writing.
There’s a wealth of information exploring the relationship between reading and writing. Both Writing Forward and Writer’s Edit explain in greater detail why you should read to write more effectively, and Readable looks at how reading can improve your writing skills.
2 Reading helps develop empathy
Empathy is invaluable for a copywriter because it helps us to connect with our audience’s motivations. Schools encourage children to read because it improves their reading and writing and helps them develop empathy. With empathy, we can recognise and understand how others feel, see the world through the eyes of others, and recognise each other’s differences – all of which are essential for a successful writer.
There has been research into how reading helps us develop empathy. The Book Trust has published many articles on how reading helps children develop empathy and why that is important. This article discusses how non-fiction can help children build empathy, and the Book Trust explains why creating empathy through books is so important.
3 Reading can help cure writer’s block.
When writer’s block strikes, reading is one solution I turn to. I may find inspiration from reading about the topic I am writing on. Reading can prompt a clever turn of phrase. The chance to escape into a different world for a few minutes can also be the perfect remedy to get the writer’s brain working again.
4 Reading expands your knowledge
I read books to help me become a better copywriter, writer, and marketer. There’s a wealth of knowledge in print which goes back hundreds of years, as well as a growing amount online. There’s bound to be something to read on any subject you need to write about. I also read books on other topics I am interested in or wish to learn more about. Some people learn best by watching or listening, while others, like me, prefer reading. I often understand the subject and retain knowledge better when I read it. When I want to check a fact or process, I find it easier to use an index, turn back a page, or scroll up the screen than to rewind a video or podcast. Books can provide more in-depth knowledge on a subject than watching a 20-minute video. Reading also means I don’t have to wear earphones or worry about disturbing anyone with the sound from my device.
5 Reading provides the perfect escape from reality
I enjoy reading for pleasure as well as to improve my knowledge. Books can provide that perfect escape we all need, particularly at the end of a busy day or stressful time. For about half an hour each day, my book transports me away from my life as a mum and freelancer and into the world of my book. Over the past 12 months, I have read about the life of Jane Austen, women in Tudor England, a 1960s US television studio, and the battlefields of the First World War, among others. Wherever my book takes and teaches me, I welcome my daily escape. It provides me with a break from the daily stresses and pressures of life, and I’m thankful I was not a Tudor woman and grateful to the soldiers of the First World War. While escaping into my book, I am improving my writing skills, developing empathy, gaining inspiration and boosting my knowledge.
What benefits have you found from reading? What are you reading now? Do you have any book recommendations? Let me know in a comment below.
Joanna Woodhouse, Writer and Copywriter 