As a Writer, How Do You Read?

I’m assuming that most of you that write books were readers of books before you ventured out creating your own. I would also guess that the genre you’ve chosen to write in mirrors what you prefer to read. I don’t know this for sure, but it’s true in my case.

So, how should authors read? Before this question can be answered, it’s important to understand the reasons WHY authors should read. Here are some of them:

• Learning what to do (and what not to do) – You can learn a great deal about wonderful techniques that writers use by reading the works of some of the designated masters. I write in the detective/mystery genre. I’ve learned a ton from reading books by Elmore Leonard, Jonathan Kellerman, John D. MacDonald and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Those authors are successful for a reason. They’ve either had a very successful book that has…