Read widely, write deeply
💌 Nine books, one summer: A reading challenge invitation
I was in elementary school, reading a Nancy Drew novel in the back of my family minivan, head on the cool window as a green world blurred by.
I was in middle school, putting down The Hiding Place after I read the last page so I could cry.
I was in high school, eyes scanning the same words over and over again, watching Peter grip the Lord’s hand in my mind and knowing: That is me.
I was in college, pondering the words of Remember God, a Christian nonfiction book my friend gave me for Christmas, and thinking, I want to write one of these.
Reading was really what made me want to write.
William Faulkner once said in an interview, “Read everything — trash, classics, good and bad, and see how they do it. Just like a carpenter who works as an apprentice and studies the master. Read! You'll absorb it. Then write. If it is good, you'll find out.”1
Natalie Goldberg wrote, “If you read good books, when you write, good books will come out of you. Maybe it's not quite that easy, but if you want to learn something, go to the source.”2
Stephen King said that “[reading] offers you a constantly growing knowledge of what has been done and what hasn't, what is trite and what is fresh, what works and what just lies there dying (or dead) on the page.”3
If the masters of the craft say to do something, I figure that I should do it.
I want to do it, anyway. I love reading. I inhale books. There was one year I read over 100 books, and though I haven’t had the time required to keep up that pace since, I learned so much that year.
But I don’t just want to read; I want to read widely. Echo chambers do not make for good thinking, and though no two books are alike, busting out of my typical “reading ruts” makes for better writing. Why not learn from as many writers as I can? Why not view the full landscape of literature, drink in its varied beauty, and let my craft benefit from seeing things it never saw before?
I was a child of BOOK IT!, and if you were too, you’ll remember the rush that came with the summer reading challenge—and then, of course, pizza. I have no personal pan pizzas to serve up, but I do have a very fun summer reading challenge for The Writer’s Cottage community.
This summer, wouldn’t it be delightful to dip our souls in a deep well of literature? Wouldn’t it be a treat to sit on our back porches sipping strong coffee and reading stronger words? Wouldn’t it be fun to nourish our writing with reading?
Enter…
Read Widely, Write Deeply: A Summer Reading Challenge
Nine books. One summer. Delight in the written word, deepen your craft, and do it all in community.
THE GOALS
Fill up on good literature this summer
Make room for delight in the written word
Learn from wise writers who came before us
Have fun!
THE GUIDELINES
Some of these can be rereads! Austen, Christie, and Tolkien are for me. But my unofficial rule of thumb is that 2/3 of your selections should be books you’ve never read.
Nine books, nine categories. The idea is to read across genres so you get out of the box you’ve potentially put your writing in and learn from a wide range of art. You can see my selections for each category below!
THE INSTRUCTIONS
Download the PDF at the bottom of this post and print it out. Fill out as many categories as you can, but feel free to leave some blank and come back to it later.
Hang your list on you fridge, use it as a bookmark, or post it next to your bookshelf.
Check back here throughout the summer for ways to share what you’re reading, loving, and learning from this challenge.
THE GRACE
Listen, some of you are moms. Some of you travel a lot. All of us have lives that like to interrupt things, so let’s not be sticklers about this—that would drain the delight right out of it. If you know you’re only going to get through three books this summer, only pick three categories. If you think you’re going to get through them all and you don’t, that is not failure. This is supposed to be fun. Channel your inner book-devouring child and please remember to have the time of your life.
If you want an extra layer…
A little bonus challenge: Write about each book you read. Tell us what it taught you, what you loved, or what challenged you. Write an essay, a note, an Instagram caption, or a journal entry.
Without further ado, the categories!
1. A book on craft
Pick a book about the craft of writing and consider it an informal, in-house workshop for your summer.
What I’m reading: Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
2. A fiction book
Whether you pick something light and fun or deep and hefty, reading a rich story is one of the best ways to learn how to imbue our work with beauty.
What I’m reading: The Two Towers by J. R. R. Tolkien
3. A nonfiction book
Pick a topic you want to learn more about and dive in! Whether it’s a memoir or a research-heavy exploration, experiencing the way well-written nonfiction draws us in and remakes us is powerful.
What I’m reading: The Deepest Place by Curt Thompson
4. A book 100 years old or older
READ! OLD! BOOKS! They will broaden your vocabulary, stretch your attention span, and teach you things that only past generations can. If you want to hear what C. S. Lewis thinks about reading old books, read this.
What I’m reading: Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
5. A book of the Bible
Spiritual nourishment is essential for any kind of deep work. If we hope to write things that are true, good, and beautiful, why would we stay disconnected from the source of all true, good, and beautiful things? I think of the tree in Psalm 1 that flourishes because its roots are drinking deep, rooted beside the stream. The psalmist compares those who delight in and meditate on God’s law to this tree (v. 2–3). This summer, let us be rooted in our Savior, the source of life.
What I’m reading: I’m listening through the Old Testament and working through Job right now with Lydia Brownback’s study, but once I’m through that I plan to hang out in the Psalms!
6. A theology/devotional book
Even though devotional literature and the work of theologians is not the inspired Word of God, it can be helpful to walk through Scripture hand-in-hand with someone else. Good books can disciple us in their own way (more thoughts on this coming soon) and, on the craft side, it’s instructive to see how our brothers and sisters in Christ write about our wonderful God with reverence and delight.
What I’m reading: Where Prayer Becomes Real by Kyle Strobel and John Coe.
7. A book on your TBR (that you’ve been meaning to read forever)
You know the one. Whether you simply haven’t had time to read it or have been putting off starting because it’s loooooong, consider this your sign to conquer it. The mountains that are hardest to scale often have the best views.
What I’m reading: 2000 Years of Christ’s Power by Nicholas R. Needham
8. A book from your favorite author
My college roomate had a sign above her desk that said, “TREAT YOURSELF.” She usually took that sentiment and turned it into a diet coke. We’re going to turn it into a book you just know you’re going to devour because it’s written by your favorite author. (P. S. I would love for you to share who your favorite author is in the comments! I am curious!)
What I’m reading: The Man in the Brown Suit by Agatha Christie
9. A collection of poetry
If you’ve ever stood in the hush of the winter woods listening to the muted thum thum of flakes hitting the banks, alone amidst towering pines with shadows cast long and glittering by the face of a full moon—and then you read Robert Frost—you know how powerful poetry can be. Poetry takes what we didn’t realize was deep inside us and brings it out in a pocket-sized piece of art. It’s magical.
What I’m reading: A collection of Robert Frost
Parting Tips
Share this post with a friend and bring them along for the ride!
Collect your books and put them in a stack atop your bookshelf so you can see all the wonderful words you get to dig into this summer.
Share your progress and your thoughts with our community! Check back in throughout the summer for ways to chat about the challenge.
Here’s to a summer of reading widely and writing deeply. Thanks for being here with me.
Cheers!
Alicia
DOWNLOAD YOUR READING CHALLENGE PDF:
TELL US IN THE COMMENTS!
Are you in? If so, what are some of the books you plan to read this summer?
Share the wealth: what books do you suggest to your fellow readers for each of these categories?
What books initially made you want to write?
You might also like:
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🛶 The Humility of the Ellipsis
✍️ The #1 thing that made me a better writer
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📖 Read my book! Eternity in Our Hearts: How the Wisdom of Ecclesiastes Frees Us to a Richer Reality
🌸 Subscribe to my other Substack to rest in the beauty of God: A Creative Connection
William Faulkner, interviewed by Lavon Rascoe for The Western Review, Summer 1951.
Goldberg, Natalie. Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within, rev ed., 2005
King, Stephen. On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, 2000
Oh this is so well timed! I’ve been avoiding reading for months waiting for my eye to heal from an injury - I learned yesterday that the damage is permanent and so I need to start adjusting to an impairment and reading again however hard it is - this is the perfect kickstarter to an overwhelming task! Any poetry collection recs?
I love this Alicia! I’ve been in a reading rut and this is perfect!