A writer who says, “I don’t have time to read” isn’t investing enough on their craft. If you want to make a career as a writer, read. From a mystery novel to that unreadable listicle, read as much as you can. And then, actively learn from it.

• How is the mystery writer foreshadowing her plot twists? And how is she doing it without ruining the mystery?

• How is the short story writer resisting the temptation to write 300 pages?

• How is the listicle attracting so much conversation?

• How is that interviewer challenging the guest without confrontation and hostility?

• How is poetry making Mary Poppins more enjoyable?

• How’s the reporter laying out information in a news article?

• How is the movie poster presenting the hierarchy of information?

Read. Investigate. Emulate. Improvise.