The Rightful Place of Rereading for Writers

Sitting on one of the many bookshelves in my home, which is designated as "Dani's shelf", is a box set of L.M Montgomery's 'Anne of Green Gables' series. Gifted to me one Christmas, it's one of my prized possessions. It lacks two of the volumes, which the publisher chose not to include for some reason only God and a few angels know.

Either way, it's lovely, with six cloth bound hardbacks and a matching journal. Unlike many of my favorite books, it's in great condition because I received it well after my childhood. I had read the series plenty of times, but mostly on my Kindle until that point.

This past month, I pulled out my copy of Anne's House of Dreams from the mostly untouched box set and cracked it open. It had been an anxious couple of weeks and I was yearning for a comfort read. Like going home to old friends, Anne Shirley/Blythe and her family welcomed me home with a reminder of why those dear stories were so eagerly devoured by my childhood self.

Rereading books isn't everyone's cup of tea, but it has a lot of benefits, particularly for writers.

1. Motivation

I'm never more motivated to write than when I've finished rereading a favorite book. It awakens in me the little girl who wanted nothing more than to tell stories like her favorite authors did, and prompts me to pursue my own writing with vigor.

The motivation also carries with it a fresh view of my writing style, reminding me of the things I love so much and want to emulate. Anne of Green Gables is essentially nothing like my current WIP in terms of genre or style, but Montgomery's humorous dialogue and nuggets of moral truth are something I want my own novel to possess.

I'm never more motivated to write than when I've finished rereading a favorite book.

2. Burn Out

I'm not gonna lie to you guys, I've suffered a bit of burnout lately. TMTMU draft 3 was supposed to be done in March, and here I am in mid April still not finished. I've taken about a 3 week break and I'm not entirely sure when I'll go back. Life doesn't always go as we planned, which God has been making it a point to teach me.

But rereading has helped me to fill my creative cup, so to speak, allowing me to enjoy a good book and fuel my writer's mind without the effort of starting a new series. I've said it before and I've said it again, you can't be a writer without being a reader! Even in busier or harder times, I have to make it a point to read.

3. Pure Enjoyment

We don't need a lot of reason for reading a book beyond just enjoying it. The same falls for rereading. I love going back and finding parts I loved as a kid, laughing over jokes I didn't remember and being surprised at how much I've forgotten about my favorite books. I also often find that an older version of myself understands far more about my favorite books than younger me did.

I've said it before and I've said it again, you can't be a writer without being a reader!

Reading isn't just something we do to meet a goodreads goal or to be better writers. We do it because it's a beautiful blessing God has given us, to enjoy the art of the written word and storytelling. He Himself is a storyteller, and so our imperfect books are a good thing, imitating the creator.

So maybe, as you pick your next read, consider a reread. Pick up that book that 12 year old you tore apart cover to cover and enjoy it with fresh eyes. You'd be surprised how much beauty there is in going home again.