The more you read what other people write, the better your writing will become. Every author can teach something to do—or avoid—in your own writing.

If you’re like most American adults, you have little time to read for enjoyment. Chances are since you left college your reading choices have gotten narrower and narrower. Instead of classic novels, you’re reading the latest thriller. Instead of sociological studies, you’re reading newspaper headlines.

Yet if you want to improve your writing, you will need to read more varied material. Twitter postings can teach you how to be brief, while an opinion piece may give you a model for structuring a written argument. Reading novels along with your sixth grader could teach you how to describe characters and keep a plot moving.

A former editor of mine once advised me to read from the classics to Cosmopolitan magazine to improve my writing. I pass that advice on to you. Choose something you don’t ordinarily read at least once a week and discover what you can apply to your own writing.

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