“Reading is essential for writers – it instructs, inspires and offers a blissful escape from the blank page.” — The Guardian

Writers should read for the same reasons chefs should eat the food they make — that is if they want to learn how to cook. Most respected authors would agree that reading is fundamental to perfecting the craft of writing. The problem arises when one is doing more writing than reading, or vice versa. I often fall into this pattern. I’m either writing all the time, or reading all the time.

So, why is it important to read if you are an author? For starters, reading improves your vocabulary. It’s also a great stress reducer. Stories can offer you inspiration– in the same way musicians inspire each other. This is how genres are created. Novels give writers a sense of how it’s done.

My December Reading list is chock…