by Lindsey Brackett @LindsBrac

One of my most-often asked questions when I post about books I’m reading is “Can you teach me to read like a writer?”

While it’s not always necessary to read with a writer’s mind—after all the comparison trap and the what if? trails can derail you before you’ve finished the first chapter—knowing what to look for when you’re trying to figure out what makes this novel irresistible can be helpful. Just remember, while all stories follow similar patterns, every story is executed differently, and that is why we need so many different types of writers.

Read Like a Writer

Finish a great novel. Sit in wonder. Take a walk. Hang head in despair that you will ever write so well.

Gather sticky notes and pen. Take deep breath. Open the book to the exact middle.

What is happening here? Is it a turning point? Perhaps a substantial shift in character or events? Mark this as the midpoint. All stories hinge on the middle. 

Now work backwards. Where does the story start? Where does the character start? Poke around at about a quarter into the story. Does something change? Mark this with another note. You’ve found the catalyst. 

Now page through to the three-quarter mark. Yes, you’re dividing up this story like a ripe piece of fruit … or maybe a homemade pie. But good things come to those who pace themselves. What’s happening there? Did you find the climax? 

Take a look through the last quarter of the story. Is the character recovering and gathering themselves (and sometimes a team) to slay the dragon, get the girl, detonate the bomb, win the game, rebuild the family? 

You’re finding all the pieces which make up this story, all the beats which any good author knows make the tale tell—even if they do so intuitively. Even if they can’t explain why, they simply knew, this had to happen so this could and the end was absolutely inevitable. 

Reading like a writer is not unlike puzzling together a thousand pieces. You know the end result will be beautiful and rewarding, but the process involved requires patience and perseverance. For every piece can only go into one place, and when we’re writing, it’s our job to place them so seamlessly a reader barely notices. 

So study your favorite authors. See how they did it—and just know, someday, someone might be studying you.

Resources for understanding story structure (from many viewpoints):

Save the Cat Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody

Write Your Novel from the Middle by James Scott Bell

Story Trumps Structure by Steven James

Helping Writers Become Authors 

Lindsey P. Brackett has taught middle school, read radio obits, and directed musicals but her favorite job is writing women’s fiction inspired by her rural Georgia life and Lowcountry roots. Find her podcasting at A Rough Draft Life, stress baking on Instagram, and writing at lindseypbrackett.com.