My husband has taught college film for the last twenty-five years. He’s very passionate about film, and regardless if he’s in the classroom or not, he can’t help pointing out things like lighting, editing, camera angles and symbolism. His class is a favorite among the students, and while they come away entertained as well as enlightened, they also leave something behind: their ability to watch films purely as entertainment. Many have told my husband – mostly with good humor – that he has “ruined” films for them. They’re more aware of the music score behind the action. They notice if someone’s face is shadowed intentionally. Bad lines, as well as acting, are suddenly blatant and ubiquitous. Some of them can’t even watch movies they used to like, because they’ve now realized that they’re just, well, not very good. I don’t see this as a bad thing. Being more aware of films as art, rather than purely entertainment, has given me a much stronger appreciation of good films, even if it has “ruined” others for me. But I don’t miss them. In fact, I simply crave more of the good ones. And the same thing happened to me with books.
Several years ago I finally mustered up the courage to attend a writer’s conference, and after just two days of workshops, I came back a different person. Some of the things that were pounded in my head that weekend were the evils of adverbs, especially in dialogue tags, and showing versus telling. I applied the things I learned as best as I could to my own writing, and by extension, started noticing them when I was reading. I realized how blind I’d been to writing styles, and how many nuances, subtleties and beautifully crafted sentences had been lost on me. Books I once loved became “ruined,” and countless others would now be unread if, after the first few pages, I found fault with writing conventions or styles. While I’m sure Patrick Rothfuss’s Name of the Wind is a great book, I’ll never know, because I can’t get past the first several pages. Not only does he liberally use adverbs in dialogue tags, “Shep said darkly” appears three times in less than two pages. By the third one I was ready to throw the book out of the window, and didn’t know who I was more exasperated with, Rothfuss or his editor. To me, the occasional deviation from he said/she said is forgivable, but to have Shep say something darkly so many times in such close proximity is…well, you get the idea. I’ve turned into an anal, even high-strung, reader. But for every book that I toss aside unread, I find a jewel that I devour and appreciate on a level that had been heretofore unknown to me. I actually read books on occasion that are beautifully written where practically nothing happens! And if you give me a book that’s entertaining as well as beautifully crafted, I’m in heaven.
As a writer, this transformation was absolutely essential to my growth. I have trouble reading my earlier novels because of the same reasons mentioned above, and with every book I write, I manage to tighten my prose and hone my subtly a little more. My writing is influenced by whatever book I’m reading at the time; for example, after reading a couple of Updike novels, I added some passages to my WIP that brought my novel to a whole new level. And because I’m easily influenced and always looking for ways to be a better writer, I have a rule. As often as possible, I try to read books that are better than mine. If I read something that’s “entertaining” but kind of crappy, I won’t learn anything, and I’ll curtail my growth.
So fellow aspiring writers, I have a challenge for you. The next time you pick up a book, try to detach yourself a little from the plot, and start to notice the mechanics. Study the writing style, and pay attention to how much the writer is telling you. Are they letting you figure things out on your own, or spoon-feeding you? Yes, we know he gasped with horror; he’s covered in blood. And did we really need to be told Shep’s tone was dark even once, let alone three times? This should be implied by the conversation.
You can only retain information taught in writing classes and in writing books so much. But reading well-written novels is a continuous lesson. Not only will your writing improve, but reading will become a much more enjoyable experience. You’ll still fall in love with characters and get lost in adventures, while at the same time you’ll enjoy books as works of art, with attention and appreciation to the actual craft of writing.
Happy reading (and happy writing!).
