Reading Like a Writer

December 22, 2006

I’m about 1/3 of the way through Francine Prose’s book Reading Like a Writer and I’m already comfortable recommending it. The subtitle “A Guide for People Who Love Books and for Those Who Want to Write Them” is apt– you don’t have to be (or wish to be) a writer to get a lot out of Prose’s enjoyable (ahem) prose.

In essence, the book is an argument for– and a guide in how to undertake– close reading. Not in the warped lit-theory school sense with all of its attendant philosophy and politics, but in the more immediate and obvious sense of reading very closely and paying attention to what is being read. Prose starts with a chapter on words, then one on sentences, then paragraphs and so on, using a steady stream of real-world excerpts and her readings of them. For readers it can be eye-opening to watch over an astute reader’s shoulder and see what they see and where they see it. For writers, this kind of rewarding reading– the kind that goes beyond the casual, if voracious, habits of many book “consumers” in our era of bigger, better, faster, more– is also an invaluable skill.

I don’t have a problem with such things, but this is decidedly not a mystical, Zen approach to being “present” as a reader. This is, as Prose, refers to it, “reading carnivorously.” She acknowledges the difficulty of aesthetics and the fact that not all readers will agree with all of her assessments, but recognizing what others see even while disagreeing with it is an essential part of close reading. Instead of focusing on the spiritual, the genius, and the talents which arguably can’t be taught, Prose follows the explicit contours of reading practice, the contradictions of mechanics and grammar, and above all sharing her take on some incredibly well chosen pieces of writing.

Even the advanced, experienced reader (or reading writer) should enjoy this book. Prose doesn’t shy away from the “deeper” authors (or questions), but she recognizes that many of these questions have to be answered for oneself– she can only provide her example. While many of the ideas will already be familiar, the reinforcement and analysis provided will be fresh… and refreshing.

So far this book is one I have both been wanting to write myself for years and desperately seeking to confirm that I am not alone in feeling that attentive reading, with all of its rewards, is not just a possibly vanishing useful skill, but perhaps the best kind of instruction any writer can hope to have.

Tags: books, reading, reading log, writers, Writing