Why writers should read... everything

I love books. Books about anything and everything. Fiction to non-fiction. Romance to personal development. Science-fantasy to habit tracking. Just the act of grabbing a mug of hot tea and sinking into a comfy blanket and a good book makes me excited for those cold, dark winter evenings where I can immerse myself in another world or another mindset.

I like to think I am pretty tech-savvy, but for me (and apologies for those fans of e-readers), all my books are in physical form. My bookshelves are overflowing with books I have read and loved, read and will never read again, and books yet to be opened for the first time. I have piles of books boxed up in storage, ready to be homed on the shelves I will eventually put up when I have room. But that does nothing to dissuade me from buying more. I love brand new books, with the crisp, untouched pages, with that glorious new-book smell. I love second-hand, battered and worn books, with yellowed pages and the aroma of age, which automatically fall open to the previous owners most-loved passages. I love books untouched by pencil or pen, with wide margins waiting to be marked. And I love books which are annotated to the limit, giving insight into the mind of the person before.

As a child, I was just as obsessed, hiding under the duvet in bed with a torch, defying the order to go to sleep, itching to finish the last page, chapter, then volume, getting lost in a different world. Books were my escape, my place of comfort and familiarity. The characters I read about became people I loved, hated, reviled and forgave. I wept over characters lost, celebrated their victories, and cursed when they betrayed. Even now, I always travel with a book in my bag, relishing every delayed train and every late friend, knowing I can grab a few more minutes of escapism.

It is therefore no surprise that I am a writer. Just the act of putting words on paper brings me just as much enjoyment as the act of reading another author’s work. And it is from reading the works of others that I gain my insight and inspiration. While the reading of science content is essential to gain knowledge in my field, it is reading topics completely removed from the life-sciences that really allows me to bring my own work to life. Fiction teaches me about rhythm and movement of language, with each new author bringing a different perspective to the way they describe character and setting. In contrast, non-fiction allows me to delve deeper into ideas not necessarily considered, at the same time providing insight on format and flow.

Why writers (from any field of expertise) should read

• Broadens vocabulary – In the words of the horror novelist Stephen King, “If you don't have time to read, you don't have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that”. Without reading, how will you be exposed to new words or language?

• Brings variety to your writing style – We as scientific writers need to be flexible with our writing. We can be asked to write anything from 5000-word articles to be published in academic journals, through to social media posts with a 280-character limit. Reading exposes you to different styles and formats, giving you the insight of how to be both thorough and direct.

• Increases your overall knowledge – Not every book should be in your chosen field. Reading outside of your profession exposes you to new ideas which you can incorporate into your projects. A wide reading background will bring a real depth to your writing, promoting your breadth of knowledge and will showcase your ability to incorporate wider concepts into your writing brief.

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This is why writers should read everything. And to read all the time. For those of you looking for your next reading inspiration, I am going to use the luxury of my blog to wax-lyrical about my favourites, as I love writing about them as much as I do reading them.

My top non-fiction books (and what they taught me)

• A Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter – This is my favourite non-fiction book, without question. It tells the story of how Michael Easter addressed his battle with alcoholism by pushing himself outside of his comfort zone by going on a hunting expedition deep in the Alaskan wilderness. During his journey he draws on different concepts we should all consider undertaking to remain connected to our place in the world, and to remind ourselves just what we are capable of if we dare to be uncomfortable for a while. I turn to chapters of this book when I feel my resolve weakening, or when I begin to lose faith in myself, as it serves as a reminder that we are our greatest when we are out on that limb, with no safety harness as a back-up.

• Black Box Thinking by Matthew Syed – This is a book about failure, and just how important failure is to drive progress and grow (not just as an individual, but also in a business sense). It taught me that every single set-back, every “no” and every rejection is just an opportunity to refine, improve and learn. By changing my mindset, something I would have considered as a lack of achievement, is just a stepping stone onto something else I would not have necessarily considered. I will admit, I hate to lose. It is no secret I am ultra-competitive, and I am guilty of not starting something if I do not think I can win. This book has made me realise that failure is a part of life, something we cannot avoid. And it should be something that should be celebrated, and not judged or be blamed for.

• Atomic Habits by James Clear – This was the first non-fiction book I bought, and it is a best seller for a reason. It describes the importance of habits, of building a structure to your life (or parts of your life) to allow you the clarity of mind and the physical time to achieve your goals. So, despite my days not having an enforced structure, I still have a timetable that allows for exercise, time outdoors, work and quality time with friends and family. I sometimes suffer with information overload and sit in inertia, completely overwhelmed by the sheer size of my to-do list. This book has helped me organise my overactive brain into productive tasks, providing with me with a sense of control and purpose, and a way of reflecting on my progress when I feel I am not moving forward.

My top fiction books (and why I will continue to love them)

• The Godfather by Mario Puzo – This has been, and will always be, my most favourite book. It has everything a work of fiction should have - complex characters, parallel story arcs that move back and forth through history, and a plot which has you gripped. What I love most about this book is that from the offset, you know that The Godfather and his family are immoral, taking the law into their own hands, and acting as judge, jury and executioner against anyone that crosses them. But soon, without you even realising it, you are rooting for the Don and his family, willing them to succeed, whilst celebrating their every win and mourning their every heartbreak. I can even point to the pages that have plot twists that make my heart do somersaults, despite me being able to almost quote this entire book, word for word.

• Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts – I love this book. And I mean that literally – I completely and totally fell in love with this book. This novel, based on a true story, chronicles the journey of an escaped Australian convict, and how he fell in with the Bombay (as it was called then) mafia. It is a story of love, heartbreak, friendship, passion, survival and loss. The characters are so beautiful with unbelievable depth, and the pictures he paints of the cultures he finds himself immersed in, are utterly breathtaking. You feel every emotion in his words, and it is a book I will never tire reading again and again.

• The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas – This is a wonderful book about a group of Greek Australians, how a child was slapped by an adult at a garden party, and the repercussions that ensued. Each chapter is written through the eyes of a different character, providing insight into their perspective on the world around them, each addressing not only social but economic and cultural differences that can unite and divide families. The social commentary, the complexity of the characters, and the fluidity in the way the story moves – I could not put this book down.

These are my favourites, the books I will rescue from my burning house. I have an endless list of others which I adore almost just as much, but I do not have the time nor the space to give them their due credit. I haven’t even mentioned my go-to science-fiction classics (including works by Huxley, Stoker and Wyndham), or my vast collection of horror (of course I must mention King again here, along with Lovecraft and Poe). Then there are the Japanese-born authors I adore (Ishiguro and Murakami), the Americans I love (Steinbeck and Vonnegut), and the list of female writers whose number is of such magnitude, I do not even know where to start (but I must mention Maya Angelou and Alice Walker, who’s works never fail to touch my soul). I could go on, but I am aware I do not have infinite time to list them all. But these, and so many others, have brought so much inspiration to my life and my own writing projects.

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A final note…

Is all this reading necessary for someone who needs to be laser-focussed on scientific precision and clarity? Absolutely. Every book, even those I dislike and abandon half-way, expands my vocabulary, broadens my horizons, and gives me a new perspective. Without this breadth of understanding, I would struggle to clearly articulate complex scientific concepts. But it is important to remember, reading should always be fun. So, my advice? Read whatever you want and enjoy every word and emotion your book makes you feel. Like it did when I was a child under my duvet with a torch.