Last night, I finished NANOWRIMO challenge with 9,656 words, a little short of 10,000-word target. I’m hoping to make good progress today. The sun came out finally so I went out and raked some leaves and it made me feel good. I’m tired feeling confined in the house. I needed some fresh air to clear the cobwebs off my brain and rest my eyes off that glaring screen from my computer.

Here is today’s tip on becoming a better writer.

6. Read the work of good writers especially those on the genre you are working in or plan to work in. You’ll learn the various techniques they use to attract readers. Do you have to read the literary classics? Only if you want to. You can even read almost anything, even magazines and newspapers. My son gave me a subscription to Wall Street Journal and I enjoyed reading it. There are some great writers there besides business articles and some great book reviews too. I subscribe to Writer’s Digest, a monthly magazine and I read that magazine cover to cover. How much reading should you do? That depends on how much time you have. It should not cut into your writing time. If there is a choice between reading and writing, you have to choose writing. But set aside some regular time to read, say an hour a day or a few hours a week.

Here is a new bestseller, Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand, that I read in the genre that I am writing.