You may be asking yourself, what’s with all the book reviews lately? Isn’t this a writing site? Weren’t there only supposed to be 2 reviews a month?
And you would be right to ask. This is, after all, a really good question. Let’s step back for a moment. Think about any expert in any field. If you work in technology, you probably keep up-to-date with the current trends in technology. If you are a scientist, I bet you read new journal articles in your area of interest. Well, the same is true for writers.
Sure, a writer could write with no research, but I question how good the writing will be. Writing is about more than just good grammer. It is about being a good storyteller. And what better way to research this craft than to look at other storytellers, to see what works and what doesn’t? To see how they tell a story? Not that you should copy someone else’s style, but picking up a few tips here and there is definitely not a bad thing. And that leads me to the recent book reviews.
It’s not that I’ve started reading more. I’m reading as much as I always have. But I’m thinking more about what I read. And writing reviews helps me to think about the books even more. Plus, by sharing my thoughts on a book, maybe I will help other writers out there. If you are struggling with voice, what better way to understand it than to read good and bad examples? If you want to get better at character development, why not check out books with a strong focus on this?
Of course, there is another reason to share my reviews. Every time I share a review, I may be introducing one of you, my readers, to a new author or a new genre. And what could be better then finding new, exciting things to read?
If you have found any new, exciting reads I’ve missed or just not gotten to yet, let me know. Nothing beats a good read.
