Move Along, Folks . . . No Dead Horses Here
I've made the point time and time again that reading is a good idea, and in case you missed it check out:
So I won't be beating that dead horse. I'm assuming you’re convinced that it’s a great idea to download a few gazillion books onto your Kindle, park your heinie in a hammock, and are ready to start reading like a banshee. Yeah, I know. Right? Everyone knows banshees howl like nobodies business but are completely illiterate. It would be meaningless for one to look at a book—and unless you read critically, it will be for you as well.
You don’t learn the bassoon by going to an orchestra performance. You won’t become an expert bull wrangler by sitting in the stands of a rodeo. And you sure as shootin’ won’t figure out plumbing by hunkering down on a . . . okay, so you get my point. The best way to enhance your writing skills by reading is to dissect the piece. Here are some things to look for:
· How did the characters change from beginning to end?
· What events led to the big black moment?
· Can you identify the goals/motivations/conflicts of the protagonist and antagonist?
· How did the author use symbolism?
· Where and how was foreshadowing woven in?
· What traits/quirks made you relate to the characters?
Reading is important, but even more key is reading critically.