You write what you read - Boot Camp Day 2

Lesson #2 of writing boot camp states that "You become a better writer by reading. You become a better reader by writing" (http://ajjuliani.com/10-lessons-improve-your-writing/).

I was once told that what you read tells something about yourself. If anyone was to check through my library lending history they would be confused as to what was going on! Since handing in my thesis, I have been gorging on books. Books of all sorts! Particularly books on how to grow gardens, improve soil structure, companion planting, and no-dig gardens. But not only that - fantasy fiction. I am endeavouring to catch up on the latest popular stories, Game of Thrones, Divergent, and so on.

I find a real joy in reading. During my thesis I was very much not in the habit of reading though - all my efforts went into reading published scientific papers about flower colour, plant reproduction and floral pigments. But since handing in, there is this real freedom to read whatever I want! I have been reading classics (Lady Chatterly's Lover by D.H. Lawrence at the moment), various romance novels, fictional novels and lastly, cook books.

Oh how I love to read cook books!! The current cook book is "The Art of French Cooking" by Ginette Mathiot. And looking at the pictures, dreaming about making my very own brioche and petit fours is enough to entertain me for an entire afternoon! I was surprised actually, as the techniques that are explained in the beginning of the book are reasonably straight forward - French cooking so far seems to be just a series of steps, like all other cooking. And the end result looks so beautiful! (in the pictures of course, I havent tried any of the recipes yet). Next on the pile is 'A Taste of Persia'.

Im not sure how reading cook books will impact positively (or otherwise) upon my writing style. I do enjoy them regardless, and anyway, all reading must have some beneficial effects. Even if it shows what 'not to do'. Right?? Classic novels must be part of a good reading diet, however and the local library has a section of them so you know what they are.

Thinking of Classics, I found my copy of Wuthering Heights yesterday when I was unpacking some books. I have read it many times, but I enjoy it every time I turn the page! Something about the tortured love between Catherine and Heathcliff, out on the moors of old England... The Bronte sisters are excellent for moody, pained love that inspires thoughts of grey-purple, brooding romances. Love it. Lady Chatterly's Lover was quite different, likely due to being composed during quite a different time in societal history. I am definitely a fan of romance, but it took some time to understand what was meant by 'pressing up against each other till they reached a crisis'. Perhaps due to my upbringing in a different time of history and language, I read 'crisis' as something going quite wrong...


Now, boot camp states that I should be writing 250 words morning and evening, every day for ten days. I wonder if writing 500 words all at once is considered good form, or cheating the habit...