Read, Write, Revel...

IF YOU'RE READING THIS BLARGH, you're reading. Ergo, you enjoy reading and don't need me to give you a reason to do so. But I will anyway, because readergirlz is doing this tribute to the Young Adult Library Services Association's Teen Read Week (18 October - 24 October). They've asked bloggers (do blarghers count?) to shout out YALSA's awesome event and reading in general.

So here's a reason to read — maybe for you it's reason #645,293. Or it might just be reason #1. The more you read, the better you'll write. Promise. So whether you want to write for a (tee-hee!) career, bang out a kick-ass term paper/essay test answer, or simply compose a text message that will make someone go "whoa!" — read. Become a critical reader, a writer-reader — let your reading inform your work.

Yeah, it's a trick. Reading is like taking a writing class, only a really fun one, and you gain the benefits practically by osmosis. Reading will help you perfect POV, dialogue, plotting, pacing — basically, all that stuff that makes a good piece of writing. Plus you'll probably learn a new word or two, and you can't know too many of those babies!

So have fun on YALSA Teen Read Week (that's 10/18 - 10/24...which isn't even a whole week but we'll give 'em a pass on that) and pay homage to those readergirlz too. For more writing tips from me, check out the FREAQS page at ninamalkin.com. And, if you haven't done so already, I strongly suggest that you prepare to SWOON...