RLW Reading

There are novels that go into depth on the structure of the authors message and how they convey it can be through technique, style, organization but there are also readings that transcend this. There are readings that elevate these structures by having detailed descriptions of what they want the reader to see or understand. By understanding these key elements it becomes not only easier to grasp as a reader but as a writer, there is a saying that says that you are only as good as writer as you are a reader and I believe that is true. They correlate immensely when there is that realization of what the reader is trying to convey and what you will convey in your writing, when you are able to read like a writer.

Being able to grasp this understanding is the first step but once you have shifted your reading habits to analyze the key points where the author has deliberately added detail words or dialogue to shift your perspective you will be able to add that to your writing. When I realized this I was able to re-read my  favorite novels with a different sense of understanding, for example: ” She sat on the chair instead, hands limp in her hand, eye staring at nothing, and let her mind fly on. She let it fly on until it found the place, the good and safe place, where the barley fields were green, where the water ran clear and the cottonwood seeds danced by the thousands in the air; where Baba was reading a book beneath  an acacia and Tariq was napping with his hands laced across from his chest, and where she could dip her feet in the stream and dream good dreams beneath the watchful gaze of gods of ancient, sun-bleached rock.(Khaled Hosseini)” This excerpt exemplifies the use of imagery and rhetoric, the use of senses further illustrates the setting and the narrators’ sense of self. The ability to have a sense of placement within the reading adds to the visualization and the understanding.

Having the ability of reading like a writer is essential to becoming a better writer because having the understanding as to why a writer uses certain techniques to create certain understandings and findings furthers the realization of the true meaning behind the readings. This will add to your skill set and writing techniques and it is something that I would like to perfect in my writing.