Reading the second way turns every book you enjoy into writing practice and helps you build a style of your own.
To read like a writer, ask “how did the author make that work?” as well as “what happens next?”. When a sentence strikes you, name the technique clearly and then try it in your own writing. Done regularly, this turns ordinary reading into writing practice.
What is the difference between reading and reading like a writer?
Imagine a scene where a character opens a letter they have been dreading. A reader rushes ahead to find out what it says. A writer goes back to see how the author built the dread: the slow description of the envelope, the delay, the short sentence that delivers the blow.
Most students only read the first way. That is why they can enjoy great books for years while their own writing stays the same.
How do you turn a good sentence into a technique?
A vague feeling that “this bit is good” cannot be reused. You need to name what the writer did, for example:
- “They saved the most important word for the end.”
- “They used three short sentences in a row to speed up the panic.”
- “They described the room, and let the room show the feeling.”
- “They repeated a word so it meant more the second time.”
Once named, a technique can be used again. Our guides to analysing word choice and sentence structure for effect give you the words to describe what you see.
How do you borrow a technique without copying?
Take the shape of the move, not the words. Say an author opens with one strange image: “The chair in the hallway had not moved in years, and everyone in the house stepped around it.”
You do not borrow the chair. You borrow the idea of an unexplained image that makes the reader curious. Your version might be: “The kitchen light stayed on all night now, and no one admitted to switching it on.”
If this is where marks are going missing, a trial hour with an experienced teacher can work on it one-to-one.
Why keep a list of techniques?
Techniques are easy to forget. Keep a page in a notebook or a note on your phone. For each entry, describe the technique in your own words and write your own short example.
Over a term this becomes a personal toolkit. When you start a description or a narrative composition, you have tested ideas ready instead of a blank page.
What can you learn from book openings?
Writers work hardest on their first page. Read the opening page of several books and ask how each one made you want to read on. Some start with action, some with a strong voice and some with one odd detail.
You will see there are many good ways to begin. That helps you avoid the tired “I woke up that morning” opening.
Why read passages aloud?
Rhythm is easier to hear than to see. Read a passage you love aloud, then read your own writing straight after. You may notice your sentences are all the same length or start the same way.
Hearing the difference teaches sentence variety faster than any rule. Varied, controlled sentences are exactly what the writing paper rewards.
Why reread books you love?
On a first read, the plot pulls you along. On a second read, you can watch how the author did it: an early detail that pays off later, or an ending that was carefully prepared. Every choice you spot is one you can now make yourself.
How our teachers turn reading into better writing
Many students read plenty but do not see it in their marks. In our writing-paper focus lessons, teachers read a short extract closely with the student. The student then writes their own version of the technique in the same lesson, with specific feedback on their own writing.
If your child loves reading but their writing has not caught up, book a paid one-hour trial lesson. The teacher will show them how to turn one favourite passage into a technique they can use.