While you do need to hone your craft by practicing your writing, my advice for writers looking to improve is to step away from the keyboard and read. As Stephen King mentions in his memoir, On Writing, “if you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or tools) to write.”

Reading helps improve your writing in several ways:

1. It exposes you to different voices, styles, and structures

2. It helps you understand how stories are told in your genre & what makes them unique, fun, and connect with the audience

3. It sparks your imagination

4. It lets you expand your knowledge base and world view

5. It gives your brain a workout and primes you for deeper thinking

You might consider rotating in a reading schedule with your writing schedule, with the understanding that taking a break to work your imagination is only going to improve your manuscript later. I also recommend audiobooks for long walks and commutes. It’s been helping me fit in a lot more reading time during my work week!

Any other tips for writers looking to read more? Drop them in the comments below!