How To Read Like A Writer

this might be weird to ask, but how do I critically look at another person's writing and implement what I like in their writing in my own writing? I've been having trouble improving in my writing, and frankly Im not sure how to go about doing that, even. It's easy to see what I like about another person's writing, but hard to pinpoint exactly why...

THIS IS NOT WEIRD TO ASK. It is, in fact, the most important question EVER.

How to Read Like a Writer

Re-read. If you get halfway into a chapter and think, Wow this chapter is super creepy–I wonder how they did that. Or get to the end of a book and think, I feel the poignancy of the fragility of human life in an inherently volatile economic system–I wonder how the writer made me feel that way… Go back and re-read that shit.

Read slowly. When you read like a reader, you read pretty fast. When you go in for your second, or third, or fourth re-read of a passage, chapter, or book that you want to know more about, read it slowly. Really. Slowly.

Read for technique, not content. Readers read for content (”In this paragraph, Damien gave Harold a classified envelope.”). Writers read for technique. (”In this paragraph, the writer made me feel curious about the contents of the envelope by giving sensory details about its appearance and weight.”)

Ask the right questions. They usually start with HOW: How did the writer make me feel? How did they accomplish that?

Read small. Did a chapter make you feel sad? Find out WHERE EXACTLY. What paragraph, sentence, or WORD did it for you? Was it a physical detail? A line of dialogue? A well-placed piece of punctuation? Stories are made of words and sentences. Narrow it down.

Practice. Reading like a writer is a skill that takes time to develop. Over time, you’ll get better at it!

How about y’all? Anything to add to this list? I made it off the top of my head so I’m sure I’m forgetting something. What have been your experiences with learning to read like a writer?

Hope this helps!

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The Literary Architect is a writing advice blog run by me, Bucket Siler. For more writing help, check out my Free Resource Library or get The Complete Guide to Self-Editing for Fiction Writers. xoxo

More Posts from Ilivedx and Others

ilivedx

2 years ago

Deities/Deity-like Figures of Zelda

I've noticed a common trend in the Zelda community where most deities aside from the ones mentioned in Skyward Sword are rarely brought up or discussed, and I think that's really a shame. Hyrule is implied to be very polytheistic and has a multitude of less frequently mentioned gods and godlike beings. Here's a list of all the gods I'm aware of in alphabetical order, as well as a short description. Some of this will be based on my own headcanons and opinions, but if there's anything you want to add on or that I missed please let me know!

As an additional warning—This contains major spoilers for Majora's Mask, Skyward Sword, Link's Awakening, Phantom Hourglass, and Twilight Princess. Proceed with caution!

Cyclos

A wind god who creates cyclones, featured in The Wind Waker. According to The King of Red Lions, he bears some ill will towards humans, and will mock Link if he is trapped in one of his cyclones. After defeating him, Link receives the Ballad of Gales, which allows him to control cyclones. Cyclos's brother is Zephos, another wind god.

Demise

The ruler of demons, featured primarily in Skyward Sword. He tried to attain the Triforce, but was imprisoned by Hylia under a magical seal. He is permanently destroyed in Skyward Sword's present day, but his servant Ghirahim travels into the past and revives him using Hylia's spirit. He is defeated, and his consciousness is sealed into the Master Sword.

Din

The Golden Goddess of Power, primarily featured in Ocarina of Time. She appears in Oracle of Seasons as an oracle, and in Minish Cap as an NPC. She is mentioned or referenced in The Wind Waker, Twilight Princess, and Skyward Sword. Dinraal the dragon from Breath of the Wild is likely a reference to her, as well as a crest featured in Memory #1, but she is not directly referred to or featured in Breath of the Wild. Din along with the other Golden Goddesses created the world (or Hyrule, as is stated in Ocarina of Time, however we are assuming that Hyrule is referring to the entire world despite canonical countries outside of Hyrule), and left the Triforce behind.

Earth God

Mentioned in a learnable song in The Wind Waker, the Earth God's Lyric.

Farore

The Golden Goddess of Courage, featured primarily in Ocarina of Time. She appears in Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages as an oracle, and in The Minish Cap as an NPC. She is mentioned or referenced in The Wind Waker, Twilight Princess, and Skyward Sword, and the dragon Farosh in Breath of the Wild is likely a reference to her. Her symbol is on a Triforce crest in Breath of the Wild Memory #1. She, along with the other Golden Goddesses, created the world and left the Triforce behind.

Fierce Deity

A god featured in Majora's Mask. He is a powerful deity that assumedly was turned into a mask. Link can wear this mask to transform into the Fierce Deity.

Four Giants

Guardian Deities of Termina. Link's journey in Majora's Mask is to find and summon the Four Giants to prevent the moon from falling.

Frog Deities

Guardian deities of the Sheikah, featured in Breath of the Wild. The Sheikah and the Yiga will bring offerings to these deities and they are frequent around Sheikah and Yiga occupied areas.

Goddess of Time

Featured in Majora's Mask. As the moon falls down on Clock Town, Tatl cries out for the Goddess of Time to save them. This prayer may have been answered, as Link relearns the Song of Time to travel three days into the past.

Goddess of Sand

Featured in Ocarina of Time. The Desert Colossus is mentioned by Sheik to be a "goddess of sand."

Hylia

Featured in Skyward Sword and Breath of the Wild. Appointed to guard the Triforce, Hylia orchestrated the events of Skyward Sword as an attempt to stop Demise. While trying to save the surface world, she sent hylians to Skyloft while staying and fighting alongside the other races in an attempt to defeat Demise. She was then killed, and reincarnated years later in the form of a mortal girl, Zelda from Skyward Sword. In Breath of the Wild, she is a deity worshipped in most settlements. It is believed that women of the royal bloodline can pray to Hylia to unlock a sealing power. The Sheikah seem to revere her highly.

Light Spirits

Featured in Twilight Princess. The light spirits Ordona, Faron, Eldin, and Lanayru guard Hyrule "at the behest of the gods," and seem to reside at springs in their respective provinces. They prevented the Interlopers, the ancestors of the Twili, from using the Triforce and sealed them into the Twilight Realm. In the final encounter with Ganondorf, Princess Zelda calls (or even prays) for aid, and they provide her with Light Arrows.

Lord Jabu-Jabu/Jabun

A fish deity worshipped by the Zora in Ocarina of Time and Oracle of Ages. He eats the Princess of the Zora, Ruto, and is infected by a parasite that is defeated by Link. Jabun, who is likely related to him (or could possibly be him) is featured in The Wind Waker.

Malanya

A god of horses featured in Breath of the Wild. He functions similarly to a Great Fairy, living inside a large flower and needing to be revived. He is able to bring horses back to life, and will scold Link for letting them die.

Nayru

The Golden Goddess of Wisdom, featured primarily in Ocarina of Time. She is alluded to or mentioned in The Wind Waker, Twilight Princess, and Skyward Sword, she is an oracle in Oracle of Ages, and an NPC in the Minish Cap. The dragon Naydra is likely a reference to her, and her symbol is on a Triforce crest in Breath of the Wild Memory #1. She, along with the other Golden Goddesses, created the world and left the Triforce behind.

Oshus

Also known as the Ocean King, Oshus is featured in Phantom Hourglass. He is the guardian of a portion of the sea, and creates an realm that Link travels into.

The Seven Heroines/Eighth Heroine

Guardians revered and worshiped by the Gerudo at some point, first mentioned in Breath of the Wild. They all represent a different virtue: skill, spirit, flight, gentleness, motion, endurance, and knowledge. The Eighth Heroine is rumored to be worshipped by the inhabitants of the Gerudo Highlands.

Valoo

Guardian deity of the Rito in The Wind Waker. In order to grow wings, young Rito must climb to the top of Dragon Roost Island to obtain a scale from Valoo.

The Wind Fish

The creator of an illusory realm called Koholint Island featured in Link's Awakening.

Wind Waker Prologue Deities

Gods called upon by the people that flooded Hyrule with a magical sea. They are implied to be connected to the Triforce, however this is never confirmed.

Zephos

Wind god, and the brother of Cyclos in The Wind Waker. Zephos seems to reside around a small shrine near Dragon Roost Island, and the Wind's Requiem song located on his shrine will let Link learn to control the wind direction.

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ilivedx

2 years ago