Writer's Diet

Dear Reader,

Whew, now that school's over for the year and my computer is up and running again, I can focus on what I really love doing, which is writing. Of course, along with writing goes reading. How you can have one without the other is beyond me. They in fact complement each other. The more you write, the more you enhance your literacy skills. And the more you read, the better writer you become. Which is why I created the Writer's Diet. This is a diet for anyone wanting to write fiction.

Are you having trouble writing? Do you feel like your written skills leave something to be desired? If so, then you are a fat, lazy writer. Having trouble figuring out where your story is going? Then you need to get your butt out of that chair and head over to your bookshelf, or better, a bookstore. But wait. Why should I be reading when my struggle is with writing? If you seriously just asked that question then things are worse than I thought. Just put the pen/pencil/laptop down and take a deep breath. This isn't a permanent banishment from the blank page. It's just a lifestyle change. Remember, if you want to become a better writer, you can (I can). That blank page actually isn't as scary as it first seems as long as you have a good book handy. But wait. Won't reading distract me from writing, especially if it is a really good book? The answer is that if you are truly a writer, nothing can distract you from writing. Almost everything makes you think about it. Most importantly, you read things differently. Books become more than just getaways for you. They become vehicles for your writing. When you read classics, whether they are regular, contemporary (newer), or ancient (much, much older), you learn how to emulate that style. When you read a specific genre that you want to write, you start to pick up on what makes that genre work. When you read bestsellers, you begin to understand what people want to read. All of these things help make you a better writer. The question is, if that's the case then why the hell wouldn't you read more?

I thought that maybe I was being too harsh. After all, anytime I ask people if they like to read, the most common response I get is "I would, but I just don't have the time." So, starting at the beginning of this year I decided to take on the Writer's Diet myself and see if I could complete it in a year. I mean, if there is anyone who doesn't have the time, it's me. I was going to school four days a week, I am working full time, I have lots of homework, and on top of all that, I had over a dozen novels to read for school, none of which were going to contribute to me diet. All that on top of 18 books in a year with me writing about each book afterward (this gave me an approximate deadline of 20 days to finish reading and then writing about it for each book) was quite the daunting task. I decided to make it my New Year's resolution. School just ended for the summer and I've only missed one deadline (the latest one), and I am well on my way to catching back up. I recently got hired at a second job and will also be spending a good portion of my time studying for a very important exam that I have to take in the summer, so the pressure hasn't really let up. Not to mention, I am a slow reader (just ask my wife). Why am I telling you this? Because if I can do it, you can, too. Stop making the excuses and just start reading. You will be a better writer for it.

Speak freely. Write candidly. Read endlessly.

Once again,

James