For writers, reading should be a priority
It’s the first thing any successful author will tell an aspiring writer: It’s just as important to read as it is to write. To truly master the craft, one must set aside just as much time for reading as they do for writing. Take it from immensely popular horror writer Stephen King: “If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.” Pulled straight from On Writing, the iconic memoir from the “King” of popular contemporary fiction, it seems safe to assume that Stephen knows what he’s talking about here.
Where to begin, though? With so many books across a whole plethora of genres and lengths, what are the books that authors, both aspiring and seasoned, can consider must-reads? As it turns out, there are a handful (in addition to the aforementioned On Writing) that every author should familiarize themselves with.
The Elements of Style by William Strunk, Jr. and E.B. White: Colloquially known as “Strunk & White,” The Elements of Style has long been considered a Bible of sorts for writers throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. Filled with all sorts of useful information like “rules of usage,” “principles of composition,” and a comprehensive list of commonly misspelled words, this is easily one of the most essential works a writer could read.
Hamlet by William Shakespeare: As one of the most quoted works in the entire English language, Hamlet‘s influence goes far beyond just the way it was written. It also serves as one of the most dependable structures for stories, with seminal novels like Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, Ulysses by James Joyce, and Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace, all drawing from William Shakespeare‘s longest and most tragic play.
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou: Writing doesn’t have to all be fiction or nonfiction prose — there’s also poetry to take into consideration. Maya Angelou‘s I Know Why Caged Bird Sings serves as the greatest tool for poets both young and old, detailing how literature helped a young Angelou overcome the trauma of her upbringing.