I love reading, but I have to confess that since I began my Steemit journey two months ago, I haven't read anything. Steemit posts, yes. Books, no. It's not that I haven't wanted to read. I have. I just have wanted to do Steemit more. :-) I've been thinking a lot about reading though. Most of my thoughts have been in relation to writing and how reading has helped improve my writing ability over the years. There are a number of reasons to read. You can read strictly for entertainment or to learn things. If you are going to be a writer, you should read for several more reasons. I've listed a few of my favorites below.
Vocabulary
Reading is a great way to expand your vocabulary. The number of words in our language is almost infinite. You can read your whole life and you'll never stop seeing new words.
Of course, you can look up in the dictionary every word you don't know; however, more often, you'll learn the meaning of new words simply from using context clues within the text. Much of the time you won't even realize you've learned a new word. Out of nowhere, you'll find yourself using that word in verbal and written communication.
This is good news for you when you write. The more words you have at your disposal, the more varied and interesting your writing will be. A large, varied vocabulary will allow you to say the same thing ten different ways or allow you to choose that one adjective that perfectly describes your character's mood. Someone who is pensive is completely different than someone who is despondent but both describe varying degrees of sadness.
Ideas, thoughts, beliefs
Reading exposes you to new or different ideas, beliefs, and ways of thinking. This is obvious when we read memoirs, biographical works, books that explore history, and more, but it's often less obvious when we read fiction. Dystopian novels such as 1984 and A Clockwork Orange come to my mind. These novels force the reader to question their beliefs about freedom and free will. Other novels use an unreliable narrator to make us question reality. What is real? Is our reality the same as another person's reality? How much can we really trust what we or others view as reality?
You may not be swayed by the questions or ideas many authors put forth but I believe you will always remember them. They may even color the way you think about certain things in the future. They will most definitely find their way into what you write. We are infinitely colored by the world around us. If we're worth our salt as writers, we'll do the same for others.
One more advantage to being exposed to a variety of thoughts and ideas is that they help you connect the dots between other, similar thoughts and ideas. They're also really useful when you can use something you've read to illustrate your own thoughts about a given topic. I can and have illustrated numerous ideas using the Lord of the Rings - probably much to the chagrin of my poor husband and family.
Forms of Writing
If you are an aspiring writer, you should read to expand your vocabulary and to expose yourself to a number of thoughts, ideas, and beliefs; however, the number one reason you should read is to expose yourself to new and different forms of writing.
How are you going to write a poem if you've never read one before? How are you going to write a satire if you've never read any satire before? You can but your effort will be better if you have read poetry and satire. You can write haiku just by being given a description of the form but the best way to capture the true essence of haiku is to read plenty of them.
Reading is going to give you access to a variety of forms of poetry and prose. It will also give you access to a number of tools writers use to guide the reader through the narrative or to paint a picture, such as simile and hyperbole. You can frankly say that your lover is warm and friendly but comparing her to a Summer's day brings a more pleasant picture to the reader's mind. They don't have to wonder what warm looks like if you say she is like a Summer's day. A day during Summer is warm, happy, and alive. More likely than not, the reader is going to picture their own pleasant version of Summer. It will help them connect to and understand your real or fictional lover more.
Remember, reading informs writing and writing informs reading. The two cannot exist independently of one another. You can't go wrong by doing both!