How to Read like a Writer
When reading as a writer, you must question every single choice that the author decided to keep in the final draft of the story. You must assume that it was intentionally left there to hold a clue, convey a feeling, connect ideas, and/or point to an overall theme. Here's a starter pack of questions to ask when reading as a writer, broken down into the 3 main elements of storytelling:
SETTING
Why did the author choose this setting?
Does the setting affect the story? If yes, in what way?
How do the characters interact with the setting?
Could the setting be different? If yes, how would that affect the overall story?
CHARACTERS
Did the author develop all of the main characters in the story?
What makes the characters relatable?
How do the characters reflect the theme(s) of the novel?
How do the characters change throughout the story?
Are you satisfied with the way the characters progress or are there opportunities to do more?
PLOT
What makes you care about what happens to the characters in this story?
What conflicts (internal and external) cause the characters to act the way they do?
Are the characters' choices moving the story forward naturally or is the author forcing the characters to do something that may not be natural to them?
How does the plot contribute to the theme of the story?
How does the author build momentum towards the climax?
How long does the author give between climax and resolution?
OVERALL
How did the author transition from one scene to the next?
How did the pacing change through the story?
Do you feel like the pacing fits the moment?
Did you notice the flow of language?
Did it shift to match the pace, tone, or mood of the scene?
What did you think of the author's word choice?
Did it enhance the reading experience and, if so, how?
What part of the story hooked you and why?
What character grabbed you and why?
What did the author choose to show in the scene?
What do you wish they did show?
How did the point of view affect the way you experienced the story?
Could a switch in point of view have improved the story? If so, how?
What stylistic choices did the author make with the prose, and how did those choices impact the overall storytelling?
What do you like about this story?
What did the author do well?
What wasn't done well?
What tone and mood do the writer use throughout the story and how does that affect your reading experience?
Be sure to defend your answer with more than “yes” or “no.” The answers to these questions will improve your writing.
Reading like a writer takes practice. After all, you’ve spent decades reading as a “reader,” i.e. the intended audience. Switch up your focus and approach content from the writer’s perspective. It will make you a better writer. Put the above tips into practice and you’ll see how quickly your storytelling abilities improve, specifically pacing, plotting, and characterization.
Source ⚜ Writing Notes & References ⚜ Tips & Advice ⚜ Rhetoric Active Reading ⚜ Historical Research ⚜ Critical Reading
