Lessons From Great Authors

When I read a good author, I am constantly watching what it is that makes this book so enjoyable for me. From one I may be getting a sense of tone in the story. In another it may be a sense of setting--Anne Rice does that very well. When I reach a part in my writing where I want it to have the near physical sense of setting like Anne Rice is so capable of achieving, I pick up one of the Vampire or Witch series and thumb through it searching for the parts that makes the perfect impact on me. Then I study how it was done and do my very best at creating that for myself. Perhaps its that she gave the area its own life, or that she used colors to heighten the tension of the place. I say to myself, "I can write like that." And then I do. Well, at least I do my best. So keep reading those great authors. Keep looking for why their writing is so inspiring to you. And keep remembering that they had to learn to be great and so do we.