Writing Habits - Read!

Let’s work on some habits for writers. For this first swap, we will focus on filling out heads with the words of others. If there is interest, we will continue the series with swaps about daily writing, ‘morning pages,’ and more. If you have a suggestion for a habit to focus on, please let me know!

Ray Bradbury suggested to aspiring writers a course of bedtime reading consisting of one short story, one poem (the old ones like Shakespeare and Frost, not modern “crap”), and one essay from a diversity of fields like zoology, biology, philosophy, literature, and so on. “At the end of a thousand nights,” he said, “you’ll be full of stuff!”

In this swap, we will be setting ourselves a goal of reading at least four short stories, four poems, and four essays on different topics in a month and then share what we read with our partners. If you feel inspired by Bradbury, please feel free to read one of each every night! There are a few extra days at the end of the swap to write up your experiences and get it in the mail to your partner.

In summary:

• Read at least four short stories
• Read at least four poems
• Read at least four essays – each on a different topic
• Send your partner the list of what you read
• Send your partner a note about what you felt about the month long experience – Will you continue? Will you read more?

Ray Bradbury gave an hour lecture to young aspiring authors with this idea and other suggestions for writers. He also gives some suggestions of things to read as well. As a warning, however, Mr. Bradbury does like to swear. Here is the link