Close Reading for Creative Writers

As writers, we have a wealth of others to look to in order to perfect our craft. But I think more than taking in the generalities of character, setting, and plot, one must be a careful reader and pay attention to the language. The effect of precise and powerfully constructed sentences will be far greater than anything the most interesting plot could ever come to offer. The best way to learn to write, then, is oftentimes by reading and imitating. Only through the perfection of this technique have the masters come to write masterpieces. Here are some strategies for making the most out of your reading.

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Word by Word

Chew on each word as it comes and really consider the nuance and the connotation, as well as the denotation and its use in context. Really consider why this particular word was selected, and not a near synonym. In the works of masters, it is hard to ignore that the words have been deftly chosen. Going word by word, and by that same token, sentence by sentence, paragraph by paragraph, can pay off. You may notice glaring themes that may not have been noticed if read over quickly.

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Annotation

Annotate (or mark up) the text as you are reading it. Just about anything is worth annotating: things that surprise, things that raise questions, things that elicit response.Write in the margins, or highlight or underline key phrases, as these can be great ways to begin your close reading of it, as you digest the piece word by word.

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Hunt for Patterns

Looking at the words and their nuances, are there any peculiarities that stand out? Look for repeated items, contradictory items, paradox, similarity, metaphor. Look for what is compared in metaphor and simile. Look for items of significance and ask yourself why those items seem significant, and what in the text supports your argument.

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Reflection

With reflective questions, such as what effect was conjured and how, you may come to understand more of the passage. Was the setting a vehicle for the tension that the character was feeling, an embodiment of emotion that would be too sentimental to address otherwise? Are the moments of creative expansion of setting, character, and plot delivered through techniques which you can mimic and adapt in your own writing?

Closing Thoughts

Practice closer reading, and really combing through pieces once, twice, three times. This is more difficult to do with longer works such as novels, but even they can benefit from second and third reads. In digesting what you are reading, you can master the same techniques in your own writing.