The more you write, the better you get. The evidence to that statement is in my blog post history, and in yesterday’s post, which was the second version thanks to an IT gremlin. Writing day after day will make you a better writer, but it doesn’t mean you can neglect the other activity that makes you a good writer: reading.
One of the books I’m reading at the moment is called ‘Hooked On You: The Genius Way To Make Anybody Read Anything’ by Ian Harris. I think I’m an okay writer, but my titles leave a lot to be desired, and I don’t think I’m great at ‘the hook’. So I’m hoping this book will help me get better at both. One of the ways Ian Harris suggests to get better at hooking readers, is to keep a swipe file of quotes from, and facts about, famous people.
One of the ways to get those is to add autobiographies to your reading list. Start with people you’re interested in, and if they’re different, move on to people your readers will be interested in. If you’re reading paper books, highlight them and type them into a file on your computer. If you have a Kindle, however, Ian has a very clever trick for you. As you read any book on your Kindle, use the highlighting feature with any passages that you find interesting. Then go to the link below where all your highlights are conveniently gathered for you. A quick ‘Copy Paste’ and hey presto: updated swipe file! Thank you Ian Harris: you’re a genius!
I’m off to find some cool autobiographies: any recommendations?
Here’s the link: https://kindle.amazon.com/your_highlights