Taking a Deep Dive: Part 1

PART 1 - PART 2

Most writers are avid readers. That’s probably stating the obvious. Not every reader is, or wants to be, a writer, but being an avid reader certainly establishes a foundation for anyone who wants to pursue the craft. Someone with a deep and well-rounded appreciation of the written word will often develop an instinct for what works.

As readers, most of us have experienced the joy of losing ourselves in a good book. It is a unique form of entertainment and I can not think of a comparable past time. Not even the best of movies can draw us in and hold onto us the way a book can. Once the reader hits their stride in a book, it’s as if the narrative is unfolding with no effort on the reader’s part.

When we make the transition from reader to writer, though, it benefits us to read more mindfully. That’s not to say we shouldn’t enjoy reading for its own sake. We shouldn’t suddenly lose interest in reading for entertainment, or relaxation. What I’m suggesting is that we writers should be doing two types of reading.

Remember in school, those boring exercises and essays you had to write? Typically, you were forced to read something that was not of your choosing and then write about it in some unnatural and pretentious way. Even as a voracious reader in my youth, some of those school assignments were painful. What was the point? I only wanted to read and, preferably, not The Scarlet Letter.

If you go on to university, you go through it all again, only on steroids. Explications, line readings, close readings, literary critiques, literary analysis; blah, blah, blah. Stop the madness. What is the stinkin’ point?

If you’re pursuing a chemistry degree, the point may be a little more obscure. If you wish to be a writer, though, I’ve got news for you. There is a point. Not only is there a point, but I will go so far as to say that you should engage in this type of reading and assessment.

We can become better writers by closely studying the work of those whose work we admire. Everyone has their preferences in genres and styles, but it is worth remembering that successful writers are successful for a reason. Something about their work resonates with people. There is art involved in creative writing, that’s true. A lot of people have natural talent, as well. While all of that may be so, that artistic talent can be honed and improved upon.

Studying the work of established writers is a way to help develop our skills. By breaking down the mechanics and structures of other people’s stories and poems, we can discover the techniques that made those pieces appealing to us. The goal isn’t to copy the style of famous writers. The goal is to learn the elements of craft that can make our writing more meaningful and engaging for our readers.

As you can see, this article says Part 1 in the title. I will be following it up with a more detailed discussion on this topic. I’ll address poetry explications, line readings, close readings, literary analyses, and how they can help develop our craft. There are similarities and differences between each of these, but together they form a useful approach to how we can read with purpose.

Although the topic may seem a bit dry and academic, hopefully, it will be useful to some of you. If nothing else, the process of writing on the subject will be a good refresher for me. If you choose to follow along, I promise I will try not to make it any more boring than necessary!

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For an example of a poetry explication, here is one that I did on "The Harlem Dancer" by Claude McKay.