After reading Mike Bunn's essay "How to Read Like a Writer" I have found that I already use some of the techniques he wrote about. For example I already highlight and underline passages in the various readings I do for my classes. Later I'll go back and delve into the portion I have marked and ask questions about what it means and the authors' intentions behind it. I may not examine the why behind every word choice but I often find myself coming up with different interpretations after reading it a second or third time. I also found the section of the where he re-worked his own introduction insightful. Sure we all tweak our writing here and there but I wouldn't have thought to reword or organize the introduction in that way. His doing that made me think differently about how I approach my own writing process. I always knew word choice was important but I hadn't thought what went into it most of the time for quote unquote professionals. It goes to show how even good writers have to think long and hard about what they write and how they write it.
I agree that the techniques in "How to Read Like a Writer" are quite useful, and that many people already do them without knowing what exactly they are. I myself have found that I have used many of these techniques without knowing the exact terms for them, and I am sure many other people have as well.
ReplyDelete