How to Improve Writing Through Reading

How to improve writing through reading? It’s not just a catchy phrase — it’s a deeply lived truth for many writers, myself included.

I grew up learning languages, reading everything I could get my hands on, and dreaming of becoming a writer.

All these Sunday trips to the bookshop with my mom, coming back with a crisp stack of new books! And slouching over textbooks filled with strange words (and worlds) — English, Chinese, Italian…

Highlighting and annotating on the margins became second nature — a way to understand, process, and savor the layers of literature or a foreign tongue.

Now, reading is not just enjoyment — it’s the foundation of my writing practice.

Whether English is your first language or fourth, you can learn to read in a way that sharpens your storytelling instincts.

Let’s talk about how to improve writing through reading without turning it into a chore.

This post is all about how to improve writing through reading.

📚 What Helps You Read Better (and More) Like a Writer

Reading is not a passive activity when you’re a writer (whether you want it or not, he-he).

You’re always listening, collecting, comparing, asking questions — even subconsciously.

Here are some tools and habits that help me read more regularly and deeply:

1. Read in the Genre You’re Writing In

If you’re trying to write magical realism, read magical realism. If you’re writing personal essays, read them.

It’s like learning a musical instrument: studying your genre helps you understand pacing, tone, structure, and audience expectations.

Some say, you should read expansively — all genres, all styles. Even though I partly agree, as an anxious person with focus problems, I can confirm that it may very well distract you from your writing and make you feel overwhelmed.

If you need some ideas, here are some of my all-time favorite books that formed me both as a writer and a person.

2. Choose Slightly Challenging Books

Reading above your current level hones your writing in the same way weightlifting builds strength. You grow by pushing just a bit past your comfort zone.

For me, that meant gradually increasing the complexity of the books I read in English, which isn’t my native language. Classics or translated literary works can be a good place to start.

For example, Hopscotch by Julio Cortázar was a big challenge for me — I read it both in English and Russian — but it is still, to this day, my favorite book:

3. Use a Tracker

I aim for one book a month, which gives me a tangible, gentle goal.

Most of the time, I end up reading two. Sometimes, it’s one fiction plus one non-fiction book.

Either way, I know I’m always reading something.

how to improve writing through reading - storylikeself.com

4. Set Daily Minimums

10 pages a day is my absolute minimum. It’s non-negotiable and very doable.

If I want to finish a book in a month, I divide the total page number by 30 and make that my daily goal.

My day always starts with coffee and a book — that’s my sacred ritual. I do have to get up at 6am for it, but who said it was going to be easy?

(Let’s be friends on Goodreads, by the way!)

5. Keep a Journal Nearby

I don’t keep a formal reading journal or commonplace book. That always felt like pressure.

But I do keep my regular journal nearby so I can jot down ideas, quotes, or reflections the moment they strike.

Writing about what I read helps me integrate the insight… without turning it into homework.

📝 How to Read Like a Writer

So, does reading make you a better writer? Absolutely — if you do it with attention. Reading like a writer means staying curious, analytical, and connected to your emotional reactions.

Here’s how I do it:

1. Study the Craft in Real Time

Notice how scenes transition. How are characters introduced? What kind of dialogue moves the story forward? How does the author build tension? Or show backstory without dumping too much information?

Take note of how the author is telling the story, not just what they’re telling.

The goal is to soak up techniques you can later try in your own writing.

2. Re-read Your Favorite Parts

When a line hits you hard or makes you pause — pause longer. Re-read it. Memorize it if you want. Engrave it in your mind. Soak in it… OK, I got carried away. But you got the idea.

These are the lines that build your personal style and your writing voice. Don’t rush past them.

3. Re-read What You Don’t Understand

When something is confusing or opaque, re-read that too.

Sometimes what you don’t understand today becomes your favorite passage tomorrow.

It also does a bunch of lovely things like: deepening your intuition around language, or training your brain to recognize subtlety.

4. Observe Your Reactions

Pay attention to how the story makes you feel.

Is there a moment that made you angry? A twist that shocked you? A scene that made you cry?

Write that down. Then ask: Why did I feel that? What was the author doing?

This is how you learn to write scenes that resonate deeply with others.

5. Ask Questions Constantly

Become both a detective and a psychologist. (I genuinely wish I could be all three in real life, at the same time: writer, detective, psychologist.)

What’s about to happen next? What does this character really want? Why did the author choose this word, this setting, this mood? How would you do it differently?

This constant mental dialogue is one of the best ways to sharpen your writing instincts.

6. Compare Books

What’s similar between this book and the last one you read? What’s totally different?

How do the characters, style, or endings compare?

This kind of reflection deepens your understanding of craft, and expands your creative toolkit.

✏️ How I Highlight and Annotate (Without Overwhelming Myself)

Annotating books doesn’t have to be complex.

In fact, the simpler it is, the more likely you’ll stick with it.

Here’s my low-pressure approach:

1. Pencil is King

I usually just use a pencil (here’s my favorite — the pink one). It’s fast, non-distracting, and easy to erase if I change my mind. I can stay in the flow without worrying about “getting it right.”

2. Pastel Highlighters (Sometimes)

If I’m working deeply with a book, I’ll bring in pastel highlighters. I don’t mind if the book gets messy — I actually like seeing how much it impacted me.

3. Skip the Sticky Tabs

They make everything look cluttered, and I end up feeling overwhelmed.

If I tabbed every page I loved, the book would look like a paper porcupine. So I keep it simple and trust that what matters will stick.

4. What I Mark

I underline interesting sentence structures, unfamiliar words, unique verb choices, or surprising word order.

I also mark ideas that resonate with me, or lines that feel beautiful, wise, or strange.

Anything that catches my attention gets underlined.

5. Symbols for Quick Recognition

Straight lines = language-related things (structure, grammar, vocab).
Wavy lines = emotional or thematic material (ideas, tone, essence).
Circed words = word choice.

This tiny system helps me find what I need later — without overthinking it.

6. Simplicity Wins

If highlighting becomes too complicated, I avoid it.

I want reading to feel like joy, not an academic assignment. The goal is to keep myself engaged, not overwhelmed.

⭐️ The Best Book to Improve Writing Skills?

Here’s the truth: I’ve never read a book about writing that made me a good writer.

And I believe you could read 50 books on craft and never actually learn to write.

If you want to improve your writing, do two things:

Read.
Write.

And do both as much as you can.

That said, I love reading what great writers say about their process, their self-doubt, their rituals.

Those books don’t teach technique — they inspire courage. If you’re into that too, here’s some of my favorite books about writing craft.

So — what to read to become a better writer? (Not writing guides.) Read the kind of stories you want to write. Read them slowly, reread them, and let them sink in.

📖 How Does Reading Improve Your Writing Skills?

Let’s bring it all together. How does reading improve your writing skills?

It makes you more observant. It expands your vocabulary and deepens your sense of rhythm. It teaches you what works — not in theory, but in your body.

Every book you read becomes part of your creative DNA.

It’s not about copying — it’s about absorbing, processing, transforming. (Sometimes about copying too — just for yourself, to let the lines sink in. I’ve done it before with Bukowski’s things.)