[Link] Why You Should Write About Other People’s Writing

by Ratika Deshpande

Some of the best writing I’ve done has been about the work of other writers. I’ve read their stories and compiled them into themed recommendation lists; I’ve written personal essays and deep dives into books that I couldn’t stop thinking about. It’s work that I’ve both enjoyed and am very proud of, and I think more of us should be writing about other people’s writing. Here’s why:

Learn the craft

To write about a story, essay, poem, etc., the first thing you have to do is (re)read it closely. A single read may be enough to write a short description of the plot or the main theme. But if you’re going deeper, you’ll have to read it several times, taking notes, annotating the text as you go.

Such close reading requires asking questions: What’s so great (or not) about this piece–are the descriptions short but vivid? Is the dialogue hilarious? Perhaps it’s the way the author has weaved the past and the present together? Or how the narrator’s experiences provide a new lens from which to view your own past?

Examining these elements helps you see what craft advice—“show, don’t tell,” “there must be a change in the protagonist,” etc.—looks like in practice. Reading a lot and reading widely teaches your brain to absorb the rhythms of language (especially when it’s not your mother tongue), discover the various narrative structures that are possible, and locate common themes and tropes. You’ll be able to study the components that make a piece work—or leave something to be desired, which you’ll then know to avoid in your own writing. 

Identify what you love and hate–identify your inspirations

Relatedly, you’ll be able to identify what are the things that you enjoy reading in a story or poem, and what are the elements that make you put the book away. For example, I don’t really enjoy stories written in the second person (although there are rare exceptions) or excessive expletives in the dialogue or narration. I do enjoy descriptions of food and cities, and reading essays about the history of interesting people, especially writers.

Read the full article: https://authorspublish.com/why-you-should-write-about-other-peoples-writing/