Creating a To-Read List

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.

Hamlet

Hamlet by William Shakespeare

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Of the Shakespeare plays I have read, this is one of my favorites. There is so much emotional, philosophical, and theological conflict which makes this interesting to read. I recommend watching the Kenneth Branagh film while or after reading.



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The Literary Whale Challenge

Have you ever had something that you've always wanted to try but just have been a little too afraid to try it? A challenge that seems as colossal as a whale? So have I and I am left with no choice but to attempt this challenge.

In English class, we were assigned Herman Melville's Moby Dick this past Thursday. This book is infamous in school for destroying grades and being a difficult read to say the least. This book seems as daunting as a whale is large. In honor of this book, I pose a challenge: the Literary Whale Challenge. In honor of reading the wonderful Moby Dick I challenge you to attempt a feat appropriate for yourself,possibly pertaining to literature (ie. reading a challening book, writing a novel, etc)to complete the Whale Challenge. Comment on this post with what your challenge will be or even just that you will be trying the challenge. I will periodically announce my progress with my English assignment and once the book is assigned to be completed, the challenge will end within a few days or so. If you meet your goal, post it on the blog and you might be able to win a certificate. Good luck, and have fun!