I am sure you have hear the saying, "You are what you eat". Well I am here to tell you that you also are what you read. There are studies that have shown the mind reacts to things in novels as though we lived them. That means we learn their lessons, feel their pains, and celebrate their triumphs. The stories become a part of us and who we are. This makes it extremely important to chose our reading material wisely. It will have an affect on our morals and our lives. And as writers, it affects our craft as well.
Imagine my bafflement when my sister, after two months of reader regularly, used the word "parched" and did so correctly. This was the sister who before stared at me with a glazed look in her eye anytime I used a "big word". When we read, we take on the vocabulary of the books we read. Because I want my books to have good vocabulary, I eliminate books that show the opposite from my TBR pile.We pick up any number of things from the novels we read. Style, beliefs, theme, even characters. So if we want to write well, we have to read well. Surround yourself with books by authors you wish to be like and you will become better for it.
Also, I had to look this up to write this post:
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