Hi there, viewers! You can read a text version of this video on Medium: quotidianwriter.medium.com/how-to-read-like-a-writer-22e2d13b02bc Check out my behind-the-scenes notes and sources referenced in the video on my Ko-fi blog: ko-fi.com/post/Behind-the-Scenes-How-to-Read-Like-a-Writer-Y8Y76W7UF
Please make a video on how to generate ideas for writing. I mean how the content and substance should be created like a good writer does. I too wish to write and I have topic to write about but I don't know what to write, what information I put forth. I tired common techniques like free-writing and listing etc but none work. Now I am working on Russell brand (british comedian) advice who said that write what things affects you. This seems little plausible and workable. But yet this advice doesn't allow me to write very long and lengthy content. So I wish from you to make videos on how to generate ideas, content and substances, particularly long and lengthy.
Please make a video on how to get deeper into my own characters and that how the story should go through a phase of transition from one plot to another. I really need that, because that is what readers love the most and is a sugar for their entertainment.
7 steps to employ during Active Reading 1. Ask meaningful questions 2. Articulate your opinions - and use evidence 3. Annotate or keep a reading log 4. Create something inspired by what you read 5. Target specific writing skills you want to improve 6. Examine the larger context 7. Reread
Reading books like a writer is important because one cannot just write the examination without understanding of concepts for which reading the textbook is necessary. And thanks to this channel that we can find a teacher who makes us understand the concepts.
i read movie novelizations like a writer. seeing how an accomplished author interprets the dry language of a screenplay and fills it with descriptions and life is very helpful. and i can go back to a particularly good scene and read how the author describes it.
I am currently reading 'Giovanni's Room' and I just feel like reading each line, again and again, there is so much emphasis on the emotions poured into the vivid descriptions and the philosophy that comes out of it.
Great point about re-reading allows us to focus more on how the elements are put together just like rewatching a movie. As for the last point about the gap between a writer and their idols they aspire to be like and the time it takes, Vonnegut said, 'Anyone who has finished writing a book, whether it was published or not, whether it was any good or not, is a comrade.' Gaiman also talks casually about the moment in writing his manuscript where he calls his agent to say it's a disaster and he can't possibly finish, and the agent reminds him this crisis happens every time.
Your videos are good. I am planning to study creative writing at postgraduate level to improve my writing skills. I started watching videos on creative writing because of this ambition and I want you to know that you are a blessing to humanity. Thank you.
I just finished the Crooked Kingdom duology, and as I was reading it I thought, "I can't wait to read this again and figure out how she makes this so good!" There are so many things I want to learn from Bardugo, like worldbuilding, how to transition to backstory, how to create such intriguing characters, how to plant clues in plain sight. Also, her dialogue is killer!
@@DolceFioreRosa I just Googled a font generator and types my name in that specific one(I'm sorry I don't remember exactly which, but it was on some site😭) copied and pasted☺️
@@Joy-wd9ez Wasn’t expecting a response so soon! I found it, though I was really hoping for a different design. Doesn’t seem to be many out there. Thanks again 🌹
This analogy with music is great. Just like when I'm listening to some part of a nice song and I stop it when there's a nice cadence immediately I ask myself "how did they do that?" And then sometimes I try to find out what happened there by playing it myself. And even though with music things are usually faster, like just finding out 3 chords that make the difference on the song, I'm starting to do this with book passages or chapters that make me lose track of time while reading it.
I too find many parallels between music and reading. After learning music analysis at uni, I find myself thinking of the overall structure af a book very much the same way I would approach analyzing a movement or even a whole symphony.
When I got an M.A. in history, I wrote a thesis that was basically a book. It was good. I was proud of it, and still am. It definitely changed the way I read books, in some of the ways spoken of here. The way to read like a writer is to be a writer. The way to become a writer is to write something, then focus on making it the best it can possibly be. Justify every sentence, every word. Make sure everything you want in it is included, with nothing extraneous. Once you have turned it into something that you and at least one other trustworthy person consider to be worthy of publication, you will be able to read like a writer.
God, how I missed that closer..."whatever you do, keep writing." Warms my heart on these chilly autumn days. I spent the last couple of months reading the Song of Ice and Fire books (aka, Games of thrones books). I'm not a fantasy person at all (historical and crime fiction mostly) but I was completely mesmerized by what GRRM created. Character development, world-building, description, intrigue, epic battles and one-on-one duels, killer pacing, hundreds and hundreds of pages that did not feel laborious to read, they were page turners. They have become some of my favourite novels, and I plan to reread them again and take notes because they are truly masterclasses on how a great writer creates a compelling story. Brilliant.
"Comparison is the thief of joy." My new lock screen wallpaper! I am addicted to these videos. I feel like I am in the spot where my taste is there but what I'm tasting is pure disappointment in my own work, and especially my motivation to do the work. This video specifically was a great encouragement and a wonderful motivator. I feel like I can finally develop a structure for how I do my work and goals to achieve. Thank you 💜
Great video on close-reading for writers. I've read a few books on this sort of depth - Mrs Dalloway, Pnin, White Noise, If Beale Street Could Talk - I think an important first step is finding those books that really move you, that you can dive into and explore in this depth. I've read a few books where I started annotating heavily from the first page, only to get 50-100 pages in and find it a slog, because it wasn't the right book for me. These days I read 50 pages without a pen first, and then either go back to the beginning with a pen in hand, or put it back on my shelf.
Every time I hear the music in the opening it makes me feel like a curious little kid in an old book story! All the possibilities and teachings! I am always so excited to learn from your insight, study, and work. Thank you for all the wonderful videos you have put out!
This is what I thought recently. I think writing is almost all about taste, because all you need to do is edit your work to fit your own brain, so if you have taste, you already have done half of the job, all you need to do is actually writing and finishing it.
“The bronze horseman” by Paulina Simmons, is a book I’ve read dozens of times, for the plot, the characterizations and overall writing style that’s so compelling it made me feel part of the story, and made me care about the characters. It’s also the one book that inspired me to want to write. I’ve always been an avid reader and enjoyed books for their content, but realizing that a story could make me feel so much so easily, made my want to try my hand at writing, although I’m in that phase where I can see in the distance what I’d like to accomplish with my writing while I’m on the side where nothing I write is good enough. More often than not Its disconcerting and go back to just reading instead, but that want and need to write my own works is always there.
I'd like to try William Golding's Lord of the Flies. It was part of our mandatory reading when I was in high school. I struggled to engage with it back then, mainly because of the relationship between Jack and Ralph. Every now and then I spotted elements that I thought were really insightful and inspired me to think deeper on the themes of humanity, present within the book. Like how The Mask that the hunters dawn allow them to project the sins they commit onto the mask, instead of themselves. How stripping their individuality and anonymising themselves allowed them to commit terrible and violent acts. I couldn't help but see the parallels with the anonymity given to us by modern social media and some of the terrible acts people perpetrate in those spaces. While The Mask protects their souls from these sins. But so much of what we were taught about symbols present in the novel simply never felt like they held the same meaning we were being fed. Simon as a Jesus figure, for example, never seemed to quite stick. While Jesus figure usually die for others' sins or to protect them, Simon's death was the final act that cemented the children's sins to their souls. His death, at their hands, did not bring them salvation, but rather the final act of fear and hatred that would strip them of their humanity and bring about "the loss of innocence". When we first read the book, we were taught that the war was a mere pretence to get the children on the island. But what if we have this the wrong way round. What if the war, despite being a far away and vague thing, is the actual focus of the story. A story about how war can destroy the innocence of those that aren't even involved in it. The closing pages of the book has Ralph being chased down by the other children and in their desperation to destroy their enemy, they set the island ablaze. A commentary on how there are no winners in war. I do not believe that it is a mere coincidence that the book both starts and ends with soldiers. And that the children burst into tears when they are found on the beach. For what can be a more powerful symbol of war than a soldier? And what can rob them of their innocence more than the presence of the machine built to destroy not only the lives of those involved in it, but those of the people around it as well? It is for these reasons that the first book I will ever analyse, by myself, is a book that I never liked.
I love the quote about 'our taste' at the end of the video. So realistic and encouraging. Also I recently re-read The Great Gatsby from a writer perspective and learned so much. It really works
This is brilliant. Thank you 💛 The goal before was to read as many book as possible. Now I take about 2-3 weeks to read a book. I will be reading “The City & The City” by China Meville like a writer
As always. You are amazing. Each of your posts are so insightful. I really appreciate the efforts that you put into making these videos. Keep it up and we will keep writing.
Please make a video on how to get deeper into my own characters and that how the story should go through a phase of transition from one plot to another in a way that the writers do not get bored because of a sudden change in the plot. These 2 questions, especially the second one is what many writers lack.
Thanks Diane, insightful as always. I appreciate your taking an analytical and yet also creative approach to this subject, doing the hard-yards, and sharing your insights with us. In answer to your question, I think I'd like to study the writing of Harry Harrison in his Stainless Steel Rat series. I don't know if I'll ever attempt that sort of thing myself, though I do enjoy writing science fiction. I think the things I've found most enjoyable about that series are the fun concepts brought to us in a digestable way by a loveable rogue of a character. And the fast pace. I think having some fast-paced sections in my books would be good, even if the whole thing isn't as fast and exciting as those books are almost all the way through.
Great video. Deep reading and rereading are vital for writers, as they help us to learn so much from the books we read. There's much more to the process than reading as many books as possible. 😀❤
The Bell Jar. I'm reading it right now for the first time and noticing Sylvia Plath's beautiful writing style. I think once I finish this read through, I'm going try some of these.
Thank you very much for this video. 💖 It's often through these advices do we get to see if they challenge our subconsciously trained habits, or are they complementing them. The example of MEMENTO is totally relatable. On second watch I admired the work of Nolan. Same goes for Inception (my favorite movie). Though I'm not a fan of rereading every single book, but I do go over to my favorite ones to pick up the breadcrumbs the writer has sprinkled along the way as I'm a big fan of foreshadowing. Happy reading! ✨
This video is right on time!!! I am working on a project, and I have long ago stopped flipping pages the way I used to. I have become a color code labeling freak; now, I study the books I read. Good Stuff Miss Callahan!!!
I absolutely love your videos. And I have to say, it’s freaky, the timing of this video. I’ve been asking myself “I wonder how successful writers read” and then boom…here you are! T
Oh wow! This is gold!!! Thank you for making this video. I really wanted to learn writing by reading. Also I wanted to know if should I read a hundred bools before attempting to write. Then you also made a video about it. Your content is gold!!!
It's like you read my mind! Reading is a skill! I was writing about that for one of my video scripts. I'm glad to hear this from you. You have a bigger audience and you're sharing this message! Thank you! 💙
The notification for this new video brought a smile to my face. Always soothing to listen to and learn from. As someone who has been paying closer attention to the stories I am reading this video provided some very good tips on what to do to further my attentions. The same goes with shows and movies as well for I found myself analyzing how the new DUNE movie was made in comparison to the book. Seeing and thinking about how Denis set out to adapt the book and how he went about it. The "book stick" in particular looks very concise, clear and useful as a template to organize my thoughts as well. Going to borrow that format if you don't mind for I know just the superlative Honor Harrington fanfic story I want to talk about on a forum. How this writer improved upon the universe and material and even surpassed the author is something I have been meaning to articulate clearly. Just another superb and informative video Diane. 😊
Wonderful upload as always and perfect timing! Just this weekend I wanted to understand the plot development of a book I enjoyed and aspire to as a writer. My aim was to better assess where my own story could improve its pacing. I wrote a short synopsis of each chapter, with any foreshadowing or clues that I felt might be explained later on. It’s helped me understand a lot about my own story :) thanks for the upload! I’ve plenty more to consider for when I do this again.
Couldn't be better timing. I have always thought of myself being a good reader and this video was smack on the head. Examples along side mentioned steps really gave insight what you are trying to say. Thanks to you I am starting over my current read '1984' by George Orwell.
AS someone who did this for years, I can say that it almost prevented me from writing completely. If you want to be a successful author, most of this advice will get you started, but will hurt you in the long run. 1. You should ask meaningful questions....after you are done reading. If you do this while reading you are deconstructing not learning. You will then fail to internalize anything you've just read. You will be so busy looking for what you don't like that you will miss the things you do. 2. This is solid, but again, AFTER you have read. 3.Oh dear god, don't do this. If you do this, you will not be focused on the story, and if the story is so bland as to allow you to take notes, then you shouldn't read that book. Just move on. The alternative is you are not taking it seriously to begin with, thus failing just like point 1. 4.This is a half truth. Your strongest talent as a writer is your "writing voice" which only comes about by expressing your thoughts through the emotional lens that only you have. I am an existentialist, so most of my characters are either Doomed or tragic, and the heroes who prevail tend to be the ones who meet their battles with a healthy blend of stoic heroism and honest fatalism. I also like history, so i infuse a bit of realism in my fantasy that grounds the readers and makes the story seem more believable. Apparently some readers love that. Some don't. 5.Excellent advice. 6. This is important, because you'll learn that every story is an extension of the author's experiences (expressed through their writing voice), but many stories borrow a lot from each other. But there is a fine difference between "inspired by" and "ripped-off". The legend of Drizzt borrows a lot from Dune and Elric of Melnibone, but "The Witcher" is a blatant Rip-off of Elric. 7.This is good, but over analyzing isn't as useful as reading more. the more you read, the more you learn what works and what doesn't. Trust your sense of storytelling. Your brain will sort out the rest. 8. perfectly said. I would also add, many writers have access to multiple editors and their books go through 4-5 drafts before they end up where they are. No author is perfect. Most are simply ok.
The quote from Ira Glass was an amazing finale to this video. I've been writing for decades and never seemed to reach what I aspired to write. I would write, quit for some time, months or years, and then start again. I've done this for decades. It hasn't been until these last few years where my work is beginning to appear the way I imagine it. It's because I figured out how to write consistently, every day no matter how I feel about it. I just write. The work gets better as time goes on. Thank you for the video.
I'm reading different genres of books, and I need to provide some structured criticism later on. Your new video appeared in my suggested videos, and I guess the YT algorithm did something right this time. Your tips are well-explained and useful with the things I want to accomplish. Thanks for providing quality non-Tiktok-type of video. UA-camrs like you are rare nowadays.
It’s a VERY tall order, but I think I’d like to re-read The Way of Kings as a writer. I just finished it and… this book is incredible. I know there’s SO much to learn here. It’s the longest fictional book I’ve ever read and yet it didn’t feel like it. Sanderson must be a master of pacing and I HAVE to know how he does it. Especially considering the previous longest fictional book I’d ever read was The Stand by Stephen King and that felt like an absolute SLOG in the last 100 pages. There’s a difference and I have to find what it is. And that’s just on pacing alone. Never mind characters, and worldbuilding and fight scenes and pretty much everything else as well
What a fantastic message to leave off on! I need the full song or just the opening you use on loop when I write because I associate it with creativity and depth. You are a fantastic and rich treasure to the internet. Thank you for all that you do for us blooming writers.
I truly appreciate your kind words! You can listen to the song on a loop over on Vindsvept's channel, by the way. ;) Keep writing! ua-cam.com/video/9Zl4EGLoiI8/v-deo.html
I am so thankful for this video. While watching, I was inspired into a moment of self-realization, where I remembered that I enjoy cultivating a new skill. The video has changed the way I look at reading: it now has renewed sense of meaning and a whole new dimensionality that was previously unrecognized. Thank you!
Under Heaven by Guy Gavriel Kay. I've read it three times at least and it leaves me with feelings of watching distant unattainable stars in a chill unlit garden. The atmosphere created by the author is consistent, pervasive. The poetry in the prose is intoxicating and despite being a rather slow, or atleast serene paced book, it holds my attention without fail. This ability to create atmosphere is something I want to recreate.
Hey Diane, a big fan of yours. I am working on a sci-fi novel. For that, I am currently busy reading DUNE (book -1). So this video randomly came here. Would be glad if you give me a ❤️.
The book I have reread most often is The Sparrow, by Mary Doria Russell. The first time I read it, it broke my heart and left me devastated. I like the structure of the book, switching between past and present story lines. And talk about a slow reveal! Every time I reread it, I notice something I hadn't caught before. When I finished The Heaven Tree trilogy, I cried for the antagonist and thought, how did she do that?! So, of course, I had to read it again. The one book I wish I could forget before I read it again is The Time Traveler's Wife. I read it years ago and it stayed in my mind for a very long time. I feel the day is coming. Soon, my friend, soon.
I have not watched your all videos, and even this one I am leaving in the middle due to some other work. But, your videos are very helpful and informative.
This video caught my eye, as I recently found a copy of Foster's How to Read Literature Like a Professor at my local "Little Free Library". I read Heart of Darkness at age 17 in High School. I hated it. In class that Friday I had one hour to write a piece about it. I spent 50 minutes scratching things out on various sheets of paper, until I thought of the travel adverts from National Geographic magazine. In 10 minutes I whipped out a parody version, and received an A. Many years ago. I loved A.S. Byatt's Possession, which I happened to read about the same time Sarah MacLaclan's song of the same name came out. Barbara Kingsolver's Poisonwood Bible impressed me with her use of POVs. I'm working on historical fiction and collect first person narrative novels that hit the sweet spot for period feel (usually 19th Century American West) and strong voice/characterization, without being caricatures or too verbose. Laird Hunt's Neverhome, and Guy Vanderhaeghe's The Last Crossing are two examples. Your videos are terrific, Diane. I'm passing this one on!
I might have seen one your video s couple of years ago. Since then I watch the whole bunch of other videos books, but I haven’t been writing very constantly. A few days ago the UA-cam algorithm sent me a video and I have been binging your content ever since.
Great to see you here, Luuk!! For the video background music, I looked everywhere for public domain recordings of Bruch's first Violin Concerto in G minor and Leo Portnoff's opus 14 in A, but alas, I couldn't find ones that were good enough quality. I'll make do with listening to the professional recordings on my own time. ;)
i just found this and this is so helpful, I’ve struggled with reading and really feeling confident in what i’ve read. like knowing that i’ve read a lot and that i got, the information got into my brain. I’m doing a school project on it too and this will be really helpful for me!
I loved the final segment of this video with the encouragement from Glass. "Ah, yes, that's it exactly," I thought. "I have good taste couple with poor execution skills right now." Good to know.
Thank you so much for sharing these tips! I’ve always had the feeling that I’m not really comprehending the books I read and not fully understand joying them. I also want to be able to explain books I read to other people who ask me about them and I think this is really helpful. Thank you!
I would like to read like a writer Murakami's Kafka on the shore to understand how to write such an immersive world, and how to write good description that delve in the depth of the soul. I love his writing style and would like to learn more about it!
I've found the Inferno to be a slog too - it's difficult to feel invested in the cast of contemporary Florentine politicians Dante finds in Hell - rather reminds me of the Catalogue of Ships in Homer's Iliad
Coming from an Italian, I think the Comedy MUST be first read with a paraphrase and/or a very good commentary, or an equally good teacher supporting you. Otherwise you’ll get lost (besides, the main theme of the poem is that all of us need help to accomplish salvation, so it really isn’t a shame to require help in order to read the poem itself😂)
@@rickblaine9670 I’ve got a group of people who I talk to who have all read it. And sparksnotes before each Canto, after the Canto, and reading the same Canto after that.
7:19 "If you don't want to sully your pages-" PLEASE SULLY THEM, I DREAM OF THE DAY WHERE I BUY A SECONDHAND BOOK THAT ALREADY HAS SOMEONE ELSE'S ANNOTATIONS IN IT
I was avoiding this video don't know why. I saw many small videos and articals how to study from novels. This was the only video I thought will do nothing but damn this is the best video I should Have seen if before.
00:07 📚 Reading is a skill and an art, akin to a musician playing music. The more skill you have, the more you give back to the author. 01:30 🧠 Reading like a writer involves learning from the choices authors make, not just seeking confirmation of your existing worldview. 02:25 🤔 Strategies for active reading include asking meaningful questions about the text and considering the impact of writerly choices. 04:49 📝 Articulate your opinions about a book, considering aspects like writing style, plot, characters, originality, and intellectual value. 05:44 🖊 Annotation helps engage with the text, connecting unfamiliar ideas with familiar ones, and highlighting importantelements for deeper understanding. 08:31 🎨 Engage with the book creatively, without turning it into a chore. Create artwork, write, or explore other forms of expression inspired by the text. 10:23 📝 Target specific writing skills for improvement, focusing on elements like plot structure, characterization, and theme. 12:40 📚 Consider the larger literary context of a work, understanding how it relates to older texts and recognizing shared ideas and conventions. 15:03 🔄 Reread books to focus on the writing itself, catching new details and understanding why the story works or doesn't work. 16:54 🤔 Don't let comparison with favorite authors diminish your joy of writing. Embrace your unique voice and remember that every writer starts somewhere.
Hi there, viewers! You can read a text version of this video on Medium: quotidianwriter.medium.com/how-to-read-like-a-writer-22e2d13b02bc
Check out my behind-the-scenes notes and sources referenced in the video on my Ko-fi blog: ko-fi.com/post/Behind-the-Scenes-How-to-Read-Like-a-Writer-Y8Y76W7UF
Please make a video on how to generate ideas for writing. I mean how the content and substance should be created like a good writer does. I too wish to write and I have topic to write about but I don't know what to write, what information I put forth. I tired common techniques like free-writing and listing etc but none work. Now I am working on Russell brand (british comedian) advice who said that write what things affects you. This seems little plausible and workable. But yet this advice doesn't allow me to write very long and lengthy content. So I wish from you to make videos on how to generate ideas, content and substances, particularly long and lengthy.
Hey , hi !
- fan from India 🇮🇳
Thank you!
Please make a video on how to get deeper into my own characters and that how the story should go through a phase of transition from one plot to another. I really need that, because that is what readers love the most and is a sugar for their entertainment.
How to build a fictional world in such a way that the readers do not over read or under read.
7 steps to employ during Active Reading
1. Ask meaningful questions
2. Articulate your opinions - and use evidence
3. Annotate or keep a reading log
4. Create something inspired by what you read
5. Target specific writing skills you want to improve
6. Examine the larger context
7. Reread
Reading books like a writer is important because one cannot just write the examination without understanding of concepts for which reading the textbook is necessary. And thanks to this channel that we can find a teacher who makes us understand the concepts.
Hmm. The moon is her mother. Reminds me of this exchange.
Sokka: My girlfriend turned into the moon.
Zuko: That’s rough, buddy.
As they say, it takes ten years to become an overnight success.
i read movie novelizations like a writer. seeing how an accomplished author interprets the dry language of a screenplay and fills it with descriptions and life is very helpful. and i can go back to a particularly good scene and read how the author describes it.
A new upload? Today just got even better!
Hilbert dilbert shirt burp
I am currently reading 'Giovanni's Room' and I just feel like reading each line, again and again, there is so much emphasis on the emotions poured into the vivid descriptions and the philosophy that comes out of it.
Great point about re-reading allows us to focus more on how the elements are put together just like rewatching a movie. As for the last point about the gap between a writer and their idols they aspire to be like and the time it takes, Vonnegut said, 'Anyone who has finished writing a book, whether it was published or not, whether it was any good or not, is a comrade.' Gaiman also talks casually about the moment in writing his manuscript where he calls his agent to say it's a disaster and he can't possibly finish, and the agent reminds him this crisis happens every time.
Your videos are good. I am planning to study creative writing at postgraduate level to improve my writing skills. I started watching videos on creative writing because of this ambition and I want you to know that you are a blessing to humanity. Thank you.
I just finished the Crooked Kingdom duology, and as I was reading it I thought, "I can't wait to read this again and figure out how she makes this so good!" There are so many things I want to learn from Bardugo, like worldbuilding, how to transition to backstory, how to create such intriguing characters, how to plant clues in plain sight. Also, her dialogue is killer!
You should read The Language of Thorns next. It's a collection of shirt stories by her.
@@Joy-wd9ez Where did you get the pretty designs around your name? I’d like to find something similar 🙂
@@DolceFioreRosa I just Googled a font generator and types my name in that specific one(I'm sorry I don't remember exactly which, but it was on some site😭) copied and pasted☺️
@@Joy-wd9ez Wasn’t expecting a response so soon! I found it, though I was really hoping for a different design. Doesn’t seem to be many out there. Thanks again 🌹
@@DolceFioreRosa glad I could help💖
This analogy with music is great. Just like when I'm listening to some part of a nice song and I stop it when there's a nice cadence immediately I ask myself "how did they do that?" And then sometimes I try to find out what happened there by playing it myself.
And even though with music things are usually faster, like just finding out 3 chords that make the difference on the song, I'm starting to do this with book passages or chapters that make me lose track of time while reading it.
I too find many parallels between music and reading. After learning music analysis at uni, I find myself thinking of the overall structure af a book very much the same way I would approach analyzing a movement or even a whole symphony.
When I got an M.A. in history, I wrote a thesis that was basically a book. It was good. I was proud of it, and still am. It definitely changed the way I read books, in some of the ways spoken of here. The way to read like a writer is to be a writer. The way to become a writer is to write something, then focus on making it the best it can possibly be. Justify every sentence, every word. Make sure everything you want in it is included, with nothing extraneous. Once you have turned it into something that you and at least one other trustworthy person consider to be worthy of publication, you will be able to read like a writer.
God, how I missed that closer..."whatever you do, keep writing." Warms my heart on these chilly autumn days.
I spent the last couple of months reading the Song of Ice and Fire books (aka, Games of thrones books). I'm not a fantasy person at all (historical and crime fiction mostly) but I was completely mesmerized by what GRRM created. Character development, world-building, description, intrigue, epic battles and one-on-one duels, killer pacing, hundreds and hundreds of pages that did not feel laborious to read, they were page turners. They have become some of my favourite novels, and I plan to reread them again and take notes because they are truly masterclasses on how a great writer creates a compelling story. Brilliant.
"Comparison is the thief of joy." My new lock screen wallpaper! I am addicted to these videos. I feel like I am in the spot where my taste is there but what I'm tasting is pure disappointment in my own work, and especially my motivation to do the work. This video specifically was a great encouragement and a wonderful motivator. I feel like I can finally develop a structure for how I do my work and goals to achieve. Thank you 💜
This channel's intro is my absolute favourite, it actually evokes that feeling when you're completely lost in a book
Great video on close-reading for writers. I've read a few books on this sort of depth - Mrs Dalloway, Pnin, White Noise, If Beale Street Could Talk - I think an important first step is finding those books that really move you, that you can dive into and explore in this depth. I've read a few books where I started annotating heavily from the first page, only to get 50-100 pages in and find it a slog, because it wasn't the right book for me. These days I read 50 pages without a pen first, and then either go back to the beginning with a pen in hand, or put it back on my shelf.
Every time I hear the music in the opening it makes me feel like a curious little kid in an old book story! All the possibilities and teachings! I am always so excited to learn from your insight, study, and work. Thank you for all the wonderful videos you have put out!
Actually, I'm working on the other problem: Write a book like a Reader. Good Video.
I have learned lots by reading Richard Price’s Ladies’ Man and Plath’s The Bell Jar. And, of course, from your wonderful, amazing videos, Diane.
This is what I thought recently. I think writing is almost all about taste, because all you need to do is edit your work to fit your own brain, so if you have taste, you already have done half of the job, all you need to do is actually writing and finishing it.
“The bronze horseman” by Paulina Simmons, is a book I’ve read dozens of times, for the plot, the characterizations and overall writing style that’s so compelling it made me feel part of the story, and made me care about the characters.
It’s also the one book that inspired me to want to write. I’ve always been an avid reader and enjoyed books for their content, but realizing that a story could make me feel so much so easily, made my want to try my hand at writing, although I’m in that phase where I can see in the distance what I’d like to accomplish with my writing while I’m on the side where nothing I write is good enough.
More often than not Its disconcerting and go back to just reading instead, but that want and need to write my own works is always there.
Brilliant idea
Every book you read, you have to go on good reads and review using at least 3 paragraphs.
I'd like to try William Golding's Lord of the Flies. It was part of our mandatory reading when I was in high school. I struggled to engage with it back then, mainly because of the relationship between Jack and Ralph.
Every now and then I spotted elements that I thought were really insightful and inspired me to think deeper on the themes of humanity, present within the book. Like how The Mask that the hunters dawn allow them to project the sins they commit onto the mask, instead of themselves. How stripping their individuality and anonymising themselves allowed them to commit terrible and violent acts. I couldn't help but see the parallels with the anonymity given to us by modern social media and some of the terrible acts people perpetrate in those spaces. While The Mask protects their souls from these sins. But so much of what we were taught about symbols present in the novel simply never felt like they held the same meaning we were being fed. Simon as a Jesus figure, for example, never seemed to quite stick. While Jesus figure usually die for others' sins or to protect them, Simon's death was the final act that cemented the children's sins to their souls. His death, at their hands, did not bring them salvation, but rather the final act of fear and hatred that would strip them of their humanity and bring about "the loss of innocence".
When we first read the book, we were taught that the war was a mere pretence to get the children on the island. But what if we have this the wrong way round. What if the war, despite being a far away and vague thing, is the actual focus of the story. A story about how war can destroy the innocence of those that aren't even involved in it. The closing pages of the book has Ralph being chased down by the other children and in their desperation to destroy their enemy, they set the island ablaze. A commentary on how there are no winners in war. I do not believe that it is a mere coincidence that the book both starts and ends with soldiers. And that the children burst into tears when they are found on the beach. For what can be a more powerful symbol of war than a soldier? And what can rob them of their innocence more than the presence of the machine built to destroy not only the lives of those involved in it, but those of the people around it as well?
It is for these reasons that the first book I will ever analyse, by myself, is a book that I never liked.
I think this just changed my life it applies to so many more mediums
Once I took the quiz 'Which Kind of Reader Are You' and I got the result: You read like a writer!😂🤩
Thank you for the amazing content!!!👏
Analyzing poetry, I've personally found, is an effective way to learn how language works.
Finally! After 2 months of waiting, here it is!
I love the quote about 'our taste' at the end of the video. So realistic and encouraging.
Also I recently re-read The Great Gatsby from a writer perspective and learned so much. It really works
This is brilliant. Thank you 💛 The goal before was to read as many book as possible. Now I take about 2-3 weeks to read a book. I will be reading “The City & The City” by China Meville like a writer
I'm your 100.000 subscriber!! Congrats!
This is honestly one of my favourite channels. Its always so great to see that you've uploaded!!
As always. You are amazing. Each of your posts are so insightful.
I really appreciate the efforts that you put into making these videos.
Keep it up and we will keep writing.
Please make a video on how to get deeper into my own characters and that how the story should go through a phase of transition from one plot to another in a way that the writers do not get bored because of a sudden change in the plot.
These 2 questions, especially the second one is what many writers lack.
Thanks Diane, insightful as always. I appreciate your taking an analytical and yet also creative approach to this subject, doing the hard-yards, and sharing your insights with us. In answer to your question, I think I'd like to study the writing of Harry Harrison in his Stainless Steel Rat series. I don't know if I'll ever attempt that sort of thing myself, though I do enjoy writing science fiction. I think the things I've found most enjoyable about that series are the fun concepts brought to us in a digestable way by a loveable rogue of a character. And the fast pace. I think having some fast-paced sections in my books would be good, even if the whole thing isn't as fast and exciting as those books are almost all the way through.
Great video. Deep reading and rereading are vital for writers, as they help us to learn so much from the books we read. There's much more to the process than reading as many books as possible. 😀❤
The Bell Jar. I'm reading it right now for the first time and noticing Sylvia Plath's beautiful writing style. I think once I finish this read through, I'm going try some of these.
This is the best thing that I've watched in a very long time! Can't tell how grateful I am to you. Stay blessed
The music at the beginning and end is haunting as always, and really sets the tone for the videos.
The Werewolf of Paris. It checks all the boxes for me. It was challenging and really comfortable at the same time. Blew my mind.
Thank you very much for this video. 💖
It's often through these advices do we get to see if they challenge our subconsciously trained habits, or are they complementing them.
The example of MEMENTO is totally relatable. On second watch I admired the work of Nolan. Same goes for Inception (my favorite movie). Though I'm not a fan of rereading every single book, but I do go over to my favorite ones to pick up the breadcrumbs the writer has sprinkled along the way as I'm a big fan of foreshadowing.
Happy reading! ✨
This video is right on time!!! I am working on a project, and I have long ago stopped flipping pages the way I used to. I have become a color code labeling freak; now, I study the books I read. Good Stuff Miss Callahan!!!
I absolutely love your videos. And I have to say, it’s freaky, the timing of this video. I’ve been asking myself “I wonder how successful writers read” and then boom…here you are! T
Oh wow! This is gold!!! Thank you for making this video. I really wanted to learn writing by reading. Also I wanted to know if should I read a hundred bools before attempting to write. Then you also made a video about it. Your content is gold!!!
Yay, first?
Was just watching reedsy thinking about you!!!!!!!!!!!
Your channel is a blessing.
ur videos inspire me a lot thanku so much Diane😊💚
Thank you for your ongoing posts!
It's definitely a good day when you upload a video
This channel inspires me a lot! Thanks, Diane. ❤️
It's like you read my mind! Reading is a skill! I was writing about that for one of my video scripts. I'm glad to hear this from you. You have a bigger audience and you're sharing this message! Thank you! 💙
One of the best writing channels on UA-cam! 💖💖💖
Thanks for your insights and your love of reading, Diane!
So excited to see your videos, Diane.
Diane thank you so much for sharing with us.
Truly love your content. Found your channel today. Totally worth it.
Thank you so much for your kind words, Panha! Keep writing! :)
Whoa. New upload! Christmas comes early!
The notification for this new video brought a smile to my face. Always soothing to listen to and learn from. As someone who has been paying closer attention to the stories I am reading this video provided some very good tips on what to do to further my attentions. The same goes with shows and movies as well for I found myself analyzing how the new DUNE movie was made in comparison to the book. Seeing and thinking about how Denis set out to adapt the book and how he went about it.
The "book stick" in particular looks very concise, clear and useful as a template to organize my thoughts as well. Going to borrow that format if you don't mind for I know just the superlative Honor Harrington fanfic story I want to talk about on a forum. How this writer improved upon the universe and material and even surpassed the author is something I have been meaning to articulate clearly.
Just another superb and informative video Diane. 😊
Wonderful upload as always and perfect timing! Just this weekend I wanted to understand the plot development of a book I enjoyed and aspire to as a writer. My aim was to better assess where my own story could improve its pacing. I wrote a short synopsis of each chapter, with any foreshadowing or clues that I felt might be explained later on. It’s helped me understand a lot about my own story :) thanks for the upload! I’ve plenty more to consider for when I do this again.
Couldn't be better timing. I have always thought of myself being a good reader and this video was smack on the head. Examples along side mentioned steps really gave insight what you are trying to say. Thanks to you I am starting over my current read '1984' by George Orwell.
AS someone who did this for years, I can say that it almost prevented me from writing completely. If you want to be a successful author, most of this advice will get you started, but will hurt you in the long run.
1. You should ask meaningful questions....after you are done reading. If you do this while reading you are deconstructing not learning. You will then fail to internalize anything you've just read. You will be so busy looking for what you don't like that you will miss the things you do.
2. This is solid, but again, AFTER you have read.
3.Oh dear god, don't do this. If you do this, you will not be focused on the story, and if the story is so bland as to allow you to take notes, then you shouldn't read that book. Just move on. The alternative is you are not taking it seriously to begin with, thus failing just like point 1.
4.This is a half truth. Your strongest talent as a writer is your "writing voice" which only comes about by expressing your thoughts through the emotional lens that only you have. I am an existentialist, so most of my characters are either Doomed or tragic, and the heroes who prevail tend to be the ones who meet their battles with a healthy blend of stoic heroism and honest fatalism. I also like history, so i infuse a bit of realism in my fantasy that grounds the readers and makes the story seem more believable. Apparently some readers love that. Some don't.
5.Excellent advice.
6. This is important, because you'll learn that every story is an extension of the author's experiences (expressed through their writing voice), but many stories borrow a lot from each other. But there is a fine difference between "inspired by" and "ripped-off". The legend of Drizzt borrows a lot from Dune and Elric of Melnibone, but "The Witcher" is a blatant Rip-off of Elric.
7.This is good, but over analyzing isn't as useful as reading more. the more you read, the more you learn what works and what doesn't. Trust your sense of storytelling. Your brain will sort out the rest.
8. perfectly said. I would also add, many writers have access to multiple editors and their books go through 4-5 drafts before they end up where they are. No author is perfect. Most are simply ok.
The quote from Ira Glass was an amazing finale to this video. I've been writing for decades and never seemed to reach what I aspired to write. I would write, quit for some time, months or years, and then start again. I've done this for decades. It hasn't been until these last few years where my work is beginning to appear the way I imagine it. It's because I figured out how to write consistently, every day no matter how I feel about it. I just write. The work gets better as time goes on. Thank you for the video.
Great video. I’m happy you’re back! ❤️
I subscribed after the first video I watched from you. 18:00 - 19:38 in this video actually made me cry. Thank you so much for this. X
I'm reading different genres of books, and I need to provide some structured criticism later on.
Your new video appeared in my suggested videos, and I guess the YT algorithm did something right this time. Your tips are well-explained and useful with the things I want to accomplish. Thanks for providing quality non-Tiktok-type of video. UA-camrs like you are rare nowadays.
It’s a VERY tall order, but I think I’d like to re-read The Way of Kings as a writer. I just finished it and… this book is incredible. I know there’s SO much to learn here. It’s the longest fictional book I’ve ever read and yet it didn’t feel like it. Sanderson must be a master of pacing and I HAVE to know how he does it.
Especially considering the previous longest fictional book I’d ever read was The Stand by Stephen King and that felt like an absolute SLOG in the last 100 pages. There’s a difference and I have to find what it is.
And that’s just on pacing alone. Never mind characters, and worldbuilding and fight scenes and pretty much everything else as well
Thank you, this video was exactly what I needed right now
What a fantastic message to leave off on! I need the full song or just the opening you use on loop when I write because I associate it with creativity and depth. You are a fantastic and rich treasure to the internet. Thank you for all that you do for us blooming writers.
I truly appreciate your kind words! You can listen to the song on a loop over on Vindsvept's channel, by the way. ;) Keep writing! ua-cam.com/video/9Zl4EGLoiI8/v-deo.html
I am so thankful for this video. While watching, I was inspired into a moment of self-realization, where I remembered that I enjoy cultivating a new skill. The video has changed the way I look at reading: it now has renewed sense of meaning and a whole new dimensionality that was previously unrecognized. Thank you!
Under Heaven by Guy Gavriel Kay. I've read it three times at least and it leaves me with feelings of watching distant unattainable stars in a chill unlit garden. The atmosphere created by the author is consistent, pervasive. The poetry in the prose is intoxicating and despite being a rather slow, or atleast serene paced book, it holds my attention without fail. This ability to create atmosphere is something I want to recreate.
Wow what a great video. And that quote at the end was amazing. Thanks!
Hey Diane, a big fan of yours.
I am working on a sci-fi novel. For that, I am currently busy reading DUNE (book -1).
So this video randomly came here.
Would be glad if you give me a ❤️.
The book I have reread most often is The Sparrow, by Mary Doria Russell. The first time I read it, it broke my heart and left me devastated. I like the structure of the book, switching between past and present story lines. And talk about a slow reveal! Every time I reread it, I notice something I hadn't caught before.
When I finished The Heaven Tree trilogy, I cried for the antagonist and thought, how did she do that?! So, of course, I had to read it again.
The one book I wish I could forget before I read it again is The Time Traveler's Wife. I read it years ago and it stayed in my mind for a very long time. I feel the day is coming. Soon, my friend, soon.
Thanks for this video. The last from Ira Glass was extremely helpful!
I have not watched your all videos, and even this one I am leaving in the middle due to some other work.
But, your videos are very helpful and informative.
This video caught my eye, as I recently found a copy of Foster's How to Read Literature Like a Professor at my local "Little Free Library". I read Heart of Darkness at age 17 in High School. I hated it. In class that Friday I had one hour to write a piece about it. I spent 50 minutes scratching things out on various sheets of paper, until I thought of the travel adverts from National Geographic magazine. In 10 minutes I whipped out a parody version, and received an A. Many years ago. I loved A.S. Byatt's Possession, which I happened to read about the same time Sarah MacLaclan's song of the same name came out. Barbara Kingsolver's Poisonwood Bible impressed me with her use of POVs. I'm working on historical fiction and collect first person narrative novels that hit the sweet spot for period feel (usually 19th Century American West) and strong voice/characterization, without being caricatures or too verbose. Laird Hunt's Neverhome, and Guy Vanderhaeghe's The Last Crossing are two examples. Your videos are terrific, Diane. I'm passing this one on!
A lot of good food for thought here. Reading is an art form.
I might have seen one your video s couple of years ago. Since then I watch the whole bunch of other videos books, but I haven’t been writing very constantly. A few days ago the UA-cam algorithm sent me a video and I have been binging your content ever since.
I'm so glad to hear that! I hope you'll keep writing. :)
Another piece of gold right here. Amazing work, Diane. Keep it up! Oh, and by the way... I see a couple of violinists in there ;)
Great to see you here, Luuk!! For the video background music, I looked everywhere for public domain recordings of Bruch's first Violin Concerto in G minor and Leo Portnoff's opus 14 in A, but alas, I couldn't find ones that were good enough quality. I'll make do with listening to the professional recordings on my own time. ;)
i just found this and this is so helpful, I’ve struggled with reading and really feeling confident in what i’ve read. like knowing that i’ve read a lot and that i got, the information got into my brain. I’m doing a school project on it too and this will be really helpful for me!
I loved the final segment of this video with the encouragement from Glass. "Ah, yes, that's it exactly," I thought. "I have good taste couple with poor execution skills right now." Good to know.
Loved the video, I needed this.
What a coincidence! I was just watching one of your old videos 🤣
oh, you are awesome and I really needed Ira today.. thank you
Thank you so much for sharing these tips! I’ve always had the feeling that I’m not really comprehending the books I read and not fully understand joying them. I also want to be able to explain books I read to other people who ask me about them and I think this is really helpful. Thank you!
Thank you Diane, I enjoy the channel!
I love that last quote omg 🥰
I would like to read like a writer Murakami's Kafka on the shore to understand how to write such an immersive world, and how to write good description that delve in the depth of the soul. I love his writing style and would like to learn more about it!
Murakami is great .I love his novels
@@krishnathapa177 I think that most of his novels deserve more than one read!
The last words from Ira Glass ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and as always so well put together Thank You 🙏❤️
Much needed.Thanks for this amazing video
Your content is just amazing!
Thank you, timely and encouraging for me, right now. Thank you again.
Me: *is reading Dante’s Inferno*
Reading, done properly, is every bit as tough as writing.
Me: Maybe writing isn’t for me.
I've found the Inferno to be a slog too - it's difficult to feel invested in the cast of contemporary Florentine politicians Dante finds in Hell - rather reminds me of the Catalogue of Ships in Homer's Iliad
Coming from an Italian, I think the Comedy MUST be first read with a paraphrase and/or a very good commentary, or an equally good teacher supporting you. Otherwise you’ll get lost (besides, the main theme of the poem is that all of us need help to accomplish salvation, so it really isn’t a shame to require help in order to read the poem itself😂)
@@rickblaine9670 I’ve got a group of people who I talk to who have all read it. And sparksnotes before each Canto, after the Canto, and reading the same Canto after that.
7:19 "If you don't want to sully your pages-"
PLEASE SULLY THEM, I DREAM OF THE DAY WHERE I BUY A SECONDHAND BOOK THAT ALREADY HAS SOMEONE ELSE'S ANNOTATIONS IN IT
When the worlds needs her most she appears
I was avoiding this video don't know why. I saw many small videos and articals how to study from novels. This was the only video I thought will do nothing but damn this is the best video I should Have seen if before.
You always inspire me to write ... ❤
Great video
AYO NEW DIAN VIDEO CHRISTMAS CAME EARLY THIS YEAR BOYS
00:07 📚 Reading is a skill and an art, akin to a musician playing music. The more skill you have, the more you give back to the author.
01:30 🧠 Reading like a writer involves learning from the choices authors make, not just seeking confirmation of your existing worldview.
02:25 🤔 Strategies for active reading include asking meaningful questions about the text and considering the impact of writerly choices.
04:49 📝 Articulate your opinions about a book, considering aspects like writing style, plot, characters, originality, and intellectual value.
05:44 🖊 Annotation helps engage with the text, connecting unfamiliar ideas with familiar ones, and highlighting importantelements for deeper understanding.
08:31 🎨 Engage with the book creatively, without turning it into a chore. Create artwork, write, or explore other forms of expression inspired by the text.
10:23 📝 Target specific writing skills for improvement, focusing on elements like plot structure, characterization, and theme.
12:40 📚 Consider the larger literary context of a work, understanding how it relates to older texts and recognizing shared ideas and conventions.
15:03 🔄 Reread books to focus on the writing itself, catching new details and understanding why the story works or doesn't work.
16:54 🤔 Don't let comparison with favorite authors diminish your joy of writing. Embrace your unique voice and remember that every writer starts somewhere.
Super impressed by this summary! 👏
@@QuotidianWriter Thank you for making this informative video
Your voice is soothing. ❤️