It’s clear that reading incentive programs such as the Reading With The Rays program for children (mentioned in a recent news article) and certain programs for adults, exist because the motivation to read does not come naturally for many. But perhaps even more motivating than these community programs is having knowledge about reading’s importance in many areas of your life, especially its importance for developing strong writing skills.

Even if you have no desire to be a professional writer, you probably know that writing skill is an important factor for your success in landing and keeping a job. Writing well might then literally become “money in the bank” for you. Unfortunately, many employers complain that their employees do not write well enough, despite the widespread existence of required writing courses in many colleges. The good news is that professional writers and experts agree that one of the best ways to improve your writing skills–besides practice–is to read.

But how does reading improve your writing skills?

Basically, reading lets you observe good writing first-hand. By reading, you can observe and analyze the many choices that writers make. For example, the different ways they organize information, structure paragraphs, pique readers’ interest, or wrap up their ideas in a satisfying conclusion. The more you read, the more you will notice which choices are effective and which ones are not. These observations will help you critique and improve your own writing because you will have a better sense of what effective writing looks like.

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