Authors to Read if You Want Your Writing to Dazzle
How the best authors use sharp prose to ensnare readers
Oscar Wilde once said, “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” While that may not be true for everyone — we all like to have our own vibe these days — when it comes to creativity, emulating another artist’s style can be a great way to develop your own.
That doesn’t mean you should go all Vanilla Ice and start plagiarizing, or jump on bandwagons and follow fleeting trends just because they worked for your favorite author.
But if you want to write, you must be a reader. Reading good writing will develop your authorial sixth sense better than anything else.
Don’t believe me? Try this: pick a book you love, open it to any page, and write out a single paragraph by hand. Do it slowly, and allow yourself to absorb the words and structure.
Now ask yourself: would you have written it that way? Why did the author choose that specific structure and diction? Pick it apart. Get out your microscope and squint at it. You’ll quickly see they have skills you can stow in your writer’s toolbelt.
Below is a list of some of my favorite fiction and nonfiction authors. These are writers who write clean, sharp prose, who know how to craft impactful…
