Burrow Mercilessly

One of the best ways to learn to do something is to emulate those whose work you admire.

The treat (and task) for today is to drop by the bookstore and pick up a novel by an author whose voice you’ve always loved. Read the first few pages of you purchase before you start writing, and pick out the methods the writer uses to create the mood you find so appealing.

Is it the folksy vocabulary and informal writing style? The electric buzz of clipped, declarative sentences? Or the poetic, lyrical style of flowing sentences and sensual adjectives? Whatever it is, borrow the elements you love and use them throughout today’s writing session.