Reading Tips to Help Aspiring Young Writers
By Nikolas Wong
Author Nikolas Wong reached out to us and shared his story about how writing has given him confidence. Read on to learn about his journey and his tips for aspiring young writers.
As an author, I can confidently advocate that reading helps one’s ability to write, which can help fulfill one’s dream of achieving success in literature. Reflecting on my own experience, I had difficulty reading out loud and nervously stuttered my way through sentences. I was not as fluent or confident as my other classmates, which made me feel insecure. When our teachers called on us to read, I would hide behind my backpack, fearful of being called upon and embarrassing myself in front of the entire class. My fear of reading out loud got so bad that I avoided reading altogether, which led to me reading below grade level.
It wasn’t until I was in high school that I discovered that my lack of reading was holding me back. In high school, I gained a passion for storytelling and writing fiction, but my limited reading comprehension made writing my first manuscript difficult because I could only use simple sentences and words. Determined to one day be an author, I pushed myself to practice and read comic books silently to myself. Having images accompany words made reading more approachable and soon after I discovered a passion for reading memoirs. This honed my confidence in reading and sharpened my literary skills. A few years later, I would eventually go on to publish my work and achieve my dream of becoming an author.
With that said, reading daily is just as important as spending the time to write your first manuscript and both should be practiced daily, especially for young writers who are looking to one day become renowned authors. Reading allows one to become familiar with how to use words to craft engaging stories. It enhances vocabulary and understanding of grammatical rules, which are all necessary to master the literary craft. Brooklyn Book Bodega puts it best, reading helps “gain exposure to terms and complex vocabulary.”
Through my experience, I’ve discovered five reading tips that can help young aspiring writers enhance their writing, especially if they haven’t started reading for pleasure:
1. Find that genre or subject that captures interest: It’s always easier to get into something when we find it personally interesting, no matter what age we are. Reading is no different. Helping a young writer find material that captures their interest should be the priority. It doesn’t need to be classic or well-known. You are just looking for something that captures and holds attention, so they don’t mind sitting around and consuming literature, which will hone their writing passively.
2. Set aside time to read every day: After finding something that can hold their attention, make it a point to set aside time to read every day. Setting aside an hour each day to read goes a long way, especially when they are actively writing. Firstly, this can help them break away from their work when they feel like they are struggling to find the right words to craft a story. Secondly, this can help re-fuel inspiration in their own writing, especially when things start to feel stale.
3. Encourage reading books that mirror what they envision writing: Like anything else, having an example or a reference is always helpful. Thankfully, when it comes to literature there are plenty of examples at their disposal that can help them write anything they’d like. For example, if they want to write humor, they should read humor books. This will help them learn how previous writers set up the perfect punchline and then they can start doing it themselves. The same goes for aspiring mystery writers. Read and study previous mystery novels to learn how to set up a big twist.
4. Encourage note-taking as they read: Reading with a notebook by their side can be beneficial. It can help keep track of how other writers have developed their characters and plots. If young writers read something they like, they can mark it down. Soon enough they’ll have journals filled with notes that are filled with references for their own literary projects. Even if their notes are just the book title and chapter, it is better than forgetting them when they get stuck in their writing process. For example, when I first started writing short stories, I leveraged sticky notes to mark different moments in David Sedaris’ work that I wanted to mirror and adapt for my own writing.
5. Leverage local public libraries and bookstores: Trying to read or write is always better when there’s a nice quiet place to concentrate. I would suggest going to a local public library or bookstore. Not only does it provide a quiet environment, but it also surrounds young writers with books, so if they need to research, they have plenty of material to run through. Local public libraries and bookstores also serve as a safe space for them to walk around and let their minds wander. For example, I enjoy visiting each of my local bookstores in Brooklyn every Sunday and flipping through the pages of their books. This helps jump-start my creativity before I get cozy and start writing.
Reading is often an individual activity, much like writing, so it makes sense that both go hand in hand. I encourage young aspiring writers to keep reading and hone their craft. They’ll make it if they keep at it, and if they need help finding material to read, seek out communities and organizations like Brooklyn Book Bodega. Brooklyn Book Bodega can be a great resource to kick start reading, which passively helps their ability to write. With that said, read on and write on!
About the author: Nikolas Wong is a digital communications professional and author based in New York. His written work includes: "The Coffee House" and "The Field Journal of a Naturalist Trainee"- which led to advocacy campaigns across the State of Florida. He strives to inspire young writers to pursue their writing dreams.
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