Francine Prose Quotes about Reading

Like most-maybe all- writers, I learned to write by writing and, by example, by reading books.

Like most-maybe all- writers, I learned to write by writing and, by example, by reading books.

Book, Reading, Writing

Francine Prose (2012). “Reading Like a Writer: A Guide for People Who Love Books and for Those Who Want to Write Them”, p.6, Union Books

I’ve always found that the better the book I’m reading, the smarter I feel, or, at least, the more able I am to imagine that I might, someday, become smarter.

Francine Prose

Book, Reading, Might

Francine Prose (2009). “Reading Like a Writer: A Guide for People Who Love Books and for Those Who Want to Write Them”, p.9, Harper Collins

With so much reading ahead of you, the temptation might be to speed up. But in fact it’s essential to slow down and read every word. Because one important thing that can be learned by reading slowly is the seemingly obvious but oddly underappreciated fact that language is the medium we use in much the same way a composer uses notes, the way a painter uses paint. I realize it may seem obvious, but it’s surprising how easily we lose sight of the fact that words are the raw material out of which literature is crafted.

Francine Prose

Reading, Sight, Temptation