There was nothing but land: not a country at all,
but the material out of which countries are made.
[Willa Cather]
(Jim Burden, in My Antonia)
The first thing many writing coaches advise is read, read, read. I’ve always read a lot and now that I read eBooks on my iPod, I read even more. I’ve discovered many authors who captivate me with their story-telling skills. I’ve also discovered that there are some authors who are published but who do not strike me as being much more than mediocre writers.
Do understand that I am not an authority on writing nor am I a professional writer. I just know what appeals to me as a reader. To me, good writing is so much more than good grammar. It includes a feel for shedding the limitations of mere words and expressing the spirit of the subject. When I read, I consider the author a mentor. I itemize writing traits and decide which traits I’d like to emulate in my writing.
After I went way over my budget buying eBooks, I discovered the least expensive books are among the best written. Some are even free. That is when I rediscovered Willa Cather’s My Antonia. The simplicity of Ms Cather’s writing style seems to arise from her ability to use exactly the right words, phrases and sentences at the right time in her story. Her writing puts me in mind of The Pearl by John Steinbeck. I don’t remember the story in that novella as much as I remember his style of writing. It seemed that not a word in the story was unnecessary or without purpose. The overall effect was simplicity composed of the complex ability to say the right thing at the right time.
Reading encourages me not only to write, but to write better. Perhaps it will do the same for you.
Knitting, writing and other joys 
I recently “reread” My Antonia by listening to it. I had read it as a young woman and remembered some bits of the story. It made for quite a nice listening experience because the beauty of the language was handled well by the narrator. I’m still not quite decided if listening to the books contributes to any writing abilities, but it makes for a very enjoyable evening of knitting.
Read, read, read is the exact advice I got when I asked the writing lab director how to improve one’s writing. Your post was a good reminder!
Hi Katherine,
I definitely agree that reading enhances one’s writing skills. Now that I am writing, I find myself reading with a different set of eyes as I notice the character development, tension,plot, word choices,etc. I am always looking for ways to improve my writing. I am currently reading Bending Toward the Sun by Rita dn Leslie Lurie- a mother -daughter memoir about the Holocaust and how the mother’s experience/trauma has affected the daughter and granddaughter . It is different since it is written in two voices- each tell their own story and it is a fascinating story about the history. I’m getting carried away! Suffice it to say, each book offers its own charm and there really aren’t hard and fast rules..whatever works seems to be the rule. Thanks for your post
Kathy
http://krpooler.wordpress.com
Kathy
I was never good at reading out loud in school. I could read to myself just fine. I love to read now and i love biographies. I am going to order the autobiography of Mark Twain next from barnes and noble. I dont have an ipod so i dont know what thats like. I love the feel of a book though. i will order a book of Willa Cather so i know what you are talking about. I am almost finished with Annie Freemans Fabulous Traveling Funeral. I didnt like it much but i wanted to read it because you said that you liked it. I am going to read the Prince and the Pauper next. I had to give a book report on it in junior high and i thought it would be fun to reread it. I like reading your website and getting new ideas.
Thanks Katherine.
Willa Cather does something with words that no one else can do. I’ve never been able to explain what it is, or what I feel when I read her books. She just gets every word right.
Years ago I read an article in which a critic said Cather rivals Faulkner for the position of top American novelist. He couldn’t decide which of them was number one, but said Cather is “definitely above Hemingway.” I can see what Hemingway does to create his effect. Cather’s is–ineffable?
I’d better stop before violins begin to play.