Writers reading writing books

A list of must-read writing books to help you write better

When I was two years old, I broke my leg. I was playing "Road Runner" with my brother, which meant wild jumping on and off the couch (sans anvils). One wrong fall and snap - my leg was bent the wrong way. 

I spent six weeks in the hospital with my leg up in traction. Now imagine being a precocious, restless two-year-old in that position. You might think I was freaking out or crying from boredom. Nope. The only time I'd get like that is when my parents went home after a short visit (don't judge…this was the sixties, and things were different). When they left, I went into full-blown tantrum mode, complete with a side of begging. 

But once that blew over, I got busy. This meant hours of Sesame Street and poring over books from the hospital library. I began with picture books but quickly advanced to reading (thank you, Big Bird!). The nurses were both amazed and amused at my progress. I kept them on their toes because I demanded new things to read. One can only do "The Little Red Hen" a few times before needing something fresh.

By the time I left the hospital, I was reading at a kindergarten level. 

I came home hungry for more. 

My parents were not big on literature, but Dad read the paper every night. On occasion, Mom would read a book to us. But other than that, there weren't many things to read around my home. This meant I had to find something, anything, to satisfy my need. I took to reading the newspaper and anything else I could get my grubby little hands on, including cereal boxes, the National Enquirer, or whatever other gossip rags mom had lying around.

But once I started school, my problem was solved. There was a library. I spent as much time there as possible, even faking sick to get out of recess and be surrounded by books instead of kids with their stupid, cruel games. Every day, I would check out a few books at a time and sit in the old Morris chair, reading. To this day, it's my favorite thing to do.

If you're a writer (or aspiring to be one), you need to read. It will make you better at your craft. You should be reading every single day. Novels, non-fiction, current events, newspapers, magazines, blogs, cereal boxes - whatever you can get your mitts on. You'll learn new words, expressions, ideas, and slang. Excellent writing will teach you a lot about grammar, punctuation, and how best to convey information.