Ah, NaNoWriMo. There are a lot of neat things about trying to write a novel in one month, and maybe the best is experiencing the joy of self-expression. Even if you don’t complete a novel worth publishing (and I seriously doubt anyone can in the space of 30 days), you’ll get yourself well on the way if you start December with a good-sized draft. Or, maybe you’ll find out you don’t want to write a novel, after all. Either way, this is valuable. But one side benefit I never hear much said about is the fact that novel-writing – regardless of the quality of the end product – produces better readers. (And everyone who enters NaNoWriMo is also an enthusiastic reader, right? I mean, why would people try to write books if they didn’t also read them?)
I know someone who recently took up sculpting. She chisels hard lumps into shapes that give the illusion of lovely, soft forms. Because of this new pursuit, she notices the shape of everything. Once ordinary objects – a fencepost, a rock, an apple – now fascinate her. She studies areas of light and shadow, angles and lines. It’s as if a whole new world has opened up around her, she says.
In a similar way, a person who writes begins to notice new things in the books she reads. Look at the way this author builds tension, she might think to herself; see how this other author uses dialogue to build character. To read like a writer is to notice the light and the shadows and the lines of a story. Write a novel – good or bad – and you’ll never read one quite the same way again.
You’ve heard this many times: If you want to write, you have to read. Read widely, outside your usual genre and notice how different authors utilize various literary techniques. If you’re doing NaNoWriMo this month and find that the endeavor opens up a whole new literary world for you, you’ve spent your time well.
For more on NaNoWriMo, read this post from last year.
