The world is a diverse place, and it’s getting even more so by the minute. With this increasing diversity also comes an increase in misunderstandings, miscommunications, and general cross-cultural confusion. Improving your writing skills is essential to surviving—and thriving—in this increasingly global environment. Whether you are applying for a job, writing an essay for school, or simply want to be able to express your thoughts more clearly in everyday life, improving your writing skills can help you reach your goals. Luckily there are numerous ways to improve your writing skills quickly and efficiently. The trick is knowing which strategies will be most effective for you as an individual.
Reading literature helps improve our capacity to understand ideas that aren’t explicitly stated but rather implied underneath layers of meaning. The ability to understand these deeper implications of what we read is known as “reading comprehension” and is one of the key components of logical thinking skills.
What is Reading Comprehension?
This is the ability to ascertain all that you read. This can include understanding literal meanings, such as the plot, characters, and setting of a story, but it can also include abstract concepts that aren’t directly stated in the text. When you read a piece of literature, you’re not just taking in the author’s words—you’re also taking in what they imply. Therefore, reading comprehension involves more than just picking up on the literal meanings of the words on the page in front of you. It’s also about picking up on the implied meanings, the significance of certain symbols, and the overall significance of the piece in its entirety.
The Importance of Writing Skills
Good writing skills are vital for communicating your thoughts and ideas clearly and effectively. This is true in all walks of life—whether you’re writing an essay for school, a business proposal, or an email to a friend, your ability to express yourself will help you succeed in all areas of life.
Good writing skills are also highly sought after in the workplace, where employers will often prioritize strong writing skills over other skills like computer programming or customer service.
Good writing skills aren’t just about having a strong vocabulary and correct grammar; they are also about having a strong grasp of your reader’s emotions, motives, and general situation.
A skilled writer will be able to put themselves in their reader’s shoes and write accordingly, while an unskilled writer will not be able to fully understand their reader’s context and as a result, their writing will be less effective.
Why is Reading Literature Important for Writing?
Literature is a type of writing that focuses on exploring human emotions and experiences through fictional narratives. Whereas non-fiction writing is concerned with providing information about a particular topic or event, fiction writing explores the human experience and emotions surrounding a variety of subjects. Literary fiction in particular often explores the complex and deeply-felt themes such as identity, belonging, love, and humanity’s place in the world. Through reading these types of narratives, we are able to explore these themes from a third-person perspective, making it easier to grasp the significance and deeper implications of the text.
How to Benefit From Reading Literature to Improve Writing Skills
Reading fiction can help you become a better writer in many different ways. The practice of reading and analyzing fiction will help you become more familiar with different genres, styles, and themes which will help you grow as a reader and writer. Furthermore, reading fiction will also help you develop a strong vocabulary and writing style, as well as improve your analytical skills.
The following are a few key ways fiction can improve your writing skills:
Stronger Vocabulary - Reading literature will help you build a stronger vocabulary, which is essential for writing quality content.
Stronger Grammar - Reading literature will also help you improve your grammar by analyzing different sentence structures.
Better Understanding of Reader’s Emotions - Reading fiction will also help you understand your reader’s emotions better, which will make your writing more effective.
Strategies for Improving Vocabulary and Grammar Through Fiction
Improve Your Vocabulary - If you feel like you lack a strong vocabulary, the best way to tackle this issue is to read books that are slightly above your current reading level. Doing this will help you grow your vocabulary by exposing you to more complex words. As you read, you can continue to look up any words you don’t know or understand.
Improve Your Grammar - If you feel like your grammar is lacking, you can try reading fiction that is a bit above your current reading level. This will help you expand your vocabulary and improve your grammar at the same time. Again, make sure to look up words you don’t know or understand.
Strategies for Improving Sentence Structure through Fiction
Become Familiar with Different Sentence Structures - Literary
fiction often features complex sentence structures that span multiple paragraphs. The more familiar you become with different sentence structures, the more comfortable you will be writing them yourself.
Analyze How Different Authors Use Sentence Structure - The more you analyze how different authors use sentence structure, the more comfortable you will become with using different sentence structures yourself. This will help you develop a better understanding of the different ways sentence structure can be used.
Strategies for Improving Discourse Cohesion through Fiction
Pay Attention to How Authors Use Connectors - Writers use connectors to create cohesion between different parts of the text in order to create a more cohesive piece. Become More Familiar with Connectors - By becoming more familiar with connectors, you will be able to apply them to your own writing. This will help you create more cohesive pieces that are easier to read.
Conclusion
Reading literature is more than just a recreational activity—it’s a way to develop your writing skills in a way that will be useful in all aspects of your life. Shifting your focus from “reading for enjoyment” to “reading for self-improvement” will allow you to reap the benefits of reading literature in a way that will help you become a better writer. The trick is to approach your reading with a new focus on learning and growing. By paying attention to how various authors use sentence structure, sentence fragments, and connectors, you will gain a better understanding of these writing tools which in turn will help you become a better writer yourself.