Why Writers Need to be Readers

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When a teacher told us to read silently in class, I was the happiest kid. I have been a reader for as long as I can remember. Most writers are readers, too, but every once in a while, I encounter a new writer who says he/she doesn’t read very much.

Here is why reading is important to writers:

  • It improves your writing skills.

  • It’s research.

  • It expands your vocabulary.

  • It broadens your horizons and allows you to experience new things.

  • It gives you an insight into what books are being published and how genres are classified.

  • It stimulates your brain and reduces stress.

  • It boosts your critical thinking.

  • It improves your imagination.

  • It enhances your communication skills.

  • It helps you concentrate.

  • It improves memory.

  • It develops independent learning skills.

What are you reading for fun?

What's on Your Summer Reading List?

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What is on your summer reading list?

Last month, I asked my newsletter readers what was on their list for their summer reading. These are in no particular order, but I think it’s going to take me longer than just the summer to get through all the great suggestions.

  • The Lumber Baron's Wife by Lynn Austin

  • The Bookshop of 99 Doors by Jaime Jo Wright

  • Murder Local Style by Leslie Karst

  • Murder Plays Second Fiddle by Heather Weidner (Squee!)

  • Circle of Influence by Annette Dashofy

  • The Boat House

  • Pretty Beach

  • Palm Beach Rogues

  • Cleo Dang Would Rather be Dead by Mai Nguyen

  • 26 Beauties: A Women’s Murder Club by James Patterson (Several people chose this.)

  • Theo of Golden by Allen Levi

  • Shipwrecked Faith by Danielle Grandinetti

  • The Well-Placed Lie by Kari Lee Townsend

  • Brighter Than Before by Courtney Walsh

  • Jessie’s Girl by Lauren Biel

  • The Aloha Lagoon series

  • Echoes of Memory by Sara Driscoll

  • Summer State of Mind by Kristy Woodson Harvey

  • The Little Italian Hotel by Phaedra Patrick

  • The Library of Lost and Found by Phaedra Patrick

  • All That Lies Beneath by D. L. Wood

  • A Flicker in the Dark by Stacy Willingham

  • Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak

  • Harsh Winters by John Randall

  • Our Secret Summer by R. S. Grey

  • The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott by Kelly O'Connor McNees.

  • Whiskey Business by Adrian Andover

  • The Summer List by Amy Mason Doan

  • Tabby Trouble by Emmie Lyn

  • Our Italian Summer by Jennifer Probst

  • Secret Lives and Private Eyes by Heather Weidner (Squeee again!)

  • Last To Fall by Lynn H. Blackburn

  • Clawed and Dangerous by Rita Mae Brown (more than one person recommended this)

  • The Most Mysterious Bookshop in Paris by Mark Pryor

  • Denise Grover Swank’s books

  • Abigail Keam’s books

  • A Deadly Episode by Anthony Horowitz

  • M. C. Beaton’s books

  • Ellen Riggs’ Bought the Farm Mysteries

  • Knight’s Storm by Katie Reus

  • A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway

  • Outliers: Team Two by S. A. Hoag

  • Knight’s Obsession by Katie Reus

  • Teddy Bears and Ghostly Lairs by Heather Weidner (Squeeee!)

  • Phaedra Patrick’s books

  • D. L. Woods’ books

  • Freida McFadden’s books

  • City Hall by Bentley Little

  • Revival by Stephen King

  • Ghost Camera by Darcy Coates

  • Memory Man by David Baldacci

  • The Library of Amorlin by Kalyn Josephson

  • Soulgazer by Maggie Rapier

What's the Attraction to Mysteries?

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I read lots of different genres, but I always seem to focus on mysteries and thrillers. I am a product of 70s cartoons, and I fell in love with Scooby-Doo, Josie and the Pussycats, The Funky Phantom, and so many other shows where the characters solved some kind of crime or puzzle. I wanted to be like the sleuths (and Bat Girl), so when I found the mystery section in the library, I was instantly sold on Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, Alfred Hitchcock’s the Three Investigator, and the Two-minute Mysteries. These became gateways to Agatha Christie, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, P. D. James, and so many fabulous reads.

Here’s why I’m attracted to mysteries:

  • There is a puzzle or a crime, and the reader can parse through the clues and work out his/her solution as the story progresses.

  • It’s a fun escape from whatever is going on in the real world, and it’s a great way to relax or wind down at the end of the day.

  • Mysteries are entertaining. I love visiting new places and experiencing new things through books.

  • I enjoy reading series because the characters become old friends.

  • And I know by the end, the crime will be solved and justice served.

Why do you read mysteries?

Do You Track What You Read?

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Happy New Year! Do you track of what you read? I do to keep up with series that I like, and to preserve a record by year of what I’ve read because once or twice I’ve bought or checked out a book that I didn’t remember reading.

I use Goodreads to keep a log of what I’ve read with their annual reading challenge. Years before the site, I started with a list in a Word document that I could search. There are many good sites and applications out there to record your reading progress.

  • The reading challenge helps me see my stats at the end of the year. Goodreads creates a nice graphical summary with my details.

  • It helps remind me to leave a review when I finish a book.

  • I share what I’m reading in my author newsletter, and it helps me to keep that organized by month.

  • And I just like data. I can compare what I’ve read during different years and see fun facts like the longest and shortest books.

What do you use to track your reading progress?

What Have You Been Reading This Summer?

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What have you been reading this summer? My reads have been a mix of cozy mystery and suspense.

I really love Kim Davis’s Cupcake Catering Mysteries. What a fun series!

Marcia Talley’s Disco Dead is a great read that focuses on forensic genealogy to solve a gruesome murder from the 1970s.

I’m going back and reading the Jack Reacher novels that I missed for some reason. Nothing to Lose is an early one. And Lee Goldberg’s Hidden in Smoke is a chock full of action and suspense.

I had the pleasure of reading two, fun ARCs (Advanced Review Copies) for Michelle Bennington’s Killer Cache and J. Kent Holloway. Both mysteries that will be out soon. Michelle’s is about an amateur sleuth who is a hoarder, and J. Kent’s is about a magical holiday place.

Reading - Why It's Important for Writers

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I was always that kid who got excited when the teacher gave us free reading time. Reading has always been a way for me to relax and to escape into other worlds and a chance to solve a mystery.

Reading, especially your genre, is also important to writers. And here’s why:

  • If you want to go the traditional publishing route, you need to know what is out there. It’s always good to have an idea where your book fits.

  • If you are querying publishers, look at the publishers/imprints and see what genres and subgenres they are publishing.

  • If you are querying agents, check out the author’s notes or the acknowledgments to see who represents them. If it matches your genre, add them to your list to research.

  • Reading builds vocabulary and exposes you to literary techniques and styles.

  • When I decided to write a cozy mystery, I spent almost a year reading every cozy I could get my hands on. I took note of themes, types of sleuths, locations, the voice (first or third person), the tense the story is written in, and the major/minor characters.

  • Follow authors and publishers that catch your eye. Sign up for newsletters to see what’s new and releasing next.

  • Follow book bloggers, podcasters, and book reviewers on social media and see what they are reviewing.

  • Reading is research.

What would you add to my list?

What Are You Reading This Summer?

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What have you added to your summer reading list? I’m always looking for recommendations, especially new to me mystery series. Here’s what I’ve been reading lately.

I recently discovered Laura Bradford’s series. She has sleuths with unusual jobs and lives. These are fun reads to add to your beach bag. Also check out Lisa Q. Matthews and Darci Hannah. They have a bunch of quirky characters who get themselves into all kinds of tricky situations.

Diane Kelly’s series are always a must read, and her latest, Dead Post Society, will not disappoint.

And you need to check out Michael Rigg’s debut mystery, Voices of the Elysian Fields. It’s a medical thriller set in New Orleans.

Who are your favorite new reads?

Do You Set Reading Goals?

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I was the kid who was excited when the teacher said to read quietly. It’s rarely that I don’t have a book or my Kindle library more than an arm’s length away.

I don’t usually do New Year’s Resolutions, but I do set a reading goal each year on Goodreads to track my history. It’s helpful, and it reminds me to leave a review for the authors. The graphic that Goodreads creates each December is great to see your progress and your stats. Here’s mine for 2024.

For writers, reading is important. It helps you learn with what’s happening in the genre you write and to stay in tune with who is publishing what. Reading is research.

It’s also a great way to support your fellow authors. Buy and share their books. Write a review. Ask the library to add the books to its collection.

Hop over and follow me on Goodreads.