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Some have disputed the claim that to write well you have to be a good reader, but let’s be real here. If you don’t read, how do you know what a good story looks like? or a bad one? How do you know how readers think?

I truly believe that much of my writing knowledge came from simply reading. I’ve been a voracious reader since I first pieced together sentences and I’ll pick up just about any kind of book as long as it’s clean and good.

But sometimes, finding a good book to read is hard, or there are just so many books out there that it’s overwhelming. That’s why having a reading list is vital if you want to be constantly reading – which you should, as a writer.

The great thing about the age we live in is that we don’t always have to buy books to read them. Libraries have enormous physical and online databases nowadays, and programs like Kindle Unlimited make it easier than ever to read books for free. My books are all on KU, which means if you subscribe to the program, you can read them right now at no cost to you. When money is tight, I turn to these sources first, as much as I still enjoy buying and owning books.

This is what my reading list looks like, including the book, the author, and how I’m reading it:

Currently reading:

• The Sword by Bryan M. Litfin (Libby/OverDrive, audiobook)
• The Purpose of Man by A.W. Tozer (owned, physical book)
• The Bridge of Little Jeremy by Indrajit Garai (owned, ebook)

TBR:

• Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson (owned, physical book)
• The Beast of Talesend by Kyle Robert Shultz (to buy, ebook)
• Coming to Power by TJ Marquis (owned, ebook)
• Bleak House by Charles Dickens (library, physical book)
• The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie (library, physical book)
• Beast in the Machine by E. B. Dawson (to buy, ebook)

I don’t always end up reading the books in this order, though. And I might stumble across an intriguing book not on the list and start it before I know what’s happening. That’s okay! The important thing is to read, and to keep reading. So go ahead and make a reading list of your own!

Happy reading!
E.J.

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Photo by Susan Q Yin on Unsplash