My house is full of lists: to-do lists, grocery lists, but most interestingly, a to-read list. As a writer, it is important to be informed about the industry. From reading others' books, writers can get a better sense of technique, style, and tone. Just as researcher has to go out into the field and conduct clincial studies to collect data, a writer should constantly be reading. So, it is a good idea to maintain a list of books to read. This list should include a variety of novels, but a few important classes to consider are classics, the tried-and-true novels of your discipline, and what's currently popular.
Classics Reads-
Classics have been read, studied, and enjoyed for years, and sometimes centuries, for a reason: they were gracefully written and tell an interesting story in a well-crafted way. These novels get to the core of writing, so it's a good idea to tag a few of these on your list. A few authors to begin with are William Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Edith Wharton, and Agatha Christie. Make sure a wide spectrum of years and styles is represented on your list.
Industry Reads-
Also choose some books which are classics in your specific field. It is important to know what your intended audience enjoys. If you write for children, you should definitely read or reread E.B White's Charlotte's Web, L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and Norton Jester's The Phantom Tollbooth. While you may feel silly reading these books now, they are among the best in children's literature and will be useful tools in your writing.
Popular Reads-
Finally, it is a good idea to look at those prominent displays at the bookstore to find out what everybody else is reading. J.K. Rowling, Suzanne Collins, and Rick Riordan are popular with both their intended middle-grade audience, young adults, and adults. Tina Fey and Mindy Kaling's books are often shared and sought out by young adults and women (at one point, there were three copies of this book in my house, one for each woman, which were bought or lent). Stieg Larsson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo trilogy can be found almost anywhere as well. It is good to be familiar with "Pop-Lit" because these are the books which are currently doing well. They represent ideas, themes, humor, style, and tone which people today can't get enough.
Now, with your list prepared, spend some time at the Westborough Public Library and Tatnuck getting the books from your list. Every writer should also own a copy of Strunk and White's The Elements of Style. Also, if you're in Westborough, read A.S. King's Please Ignore Vera Deitz. The Community Reads project is a fantastic initiative and this book is great.
