A Gift from the Masters

5 Reasons Fiction Writers need Classics on their Bookshelf

Hey y’all! It’s me, LeaRose, the YA Section’s newest author here to share some wisdom-take it or leave it as you wish. Hopefully you read the title (which, if I picked a good one, should have been the hook which pulled you into this humble post) so you already know what I’ll be covering. But if for some peculiar reason you’ve gotten this far and still haven’t taken the time to glance it over, I’ll go ahead and spill the tea. A classic phrase for a classic conversation. Literally. The well-known genre of classic literature is often mentally assigned to older readers or associated with boring two-hour reading clubs or college classes. But let me tell you, avoiding classics because of these labels is so unfair. Not just to the books themselves but to you, my dear friend! Classics provide great examples for improving a myriad of writing skills and are incredibly helpful in several different areas of your own personal writing career. How exactly, you may ask? In the following points, I’ve outlined a few key ways classics have assisted in my own writing and have the potential of improving your own work as well!

Inspiration From Fairytales

Any seasoned writer will admit the influence literature has on their writing. Whether conscious or unconscious, the things we inundate ourselves with will find their way back out somehow. Classic stories (mainly fairytales in this case) are an excellent go-to for inspiration. Their surface simplicity provides an easy read and engages the creative imagination while the hidden message deepens the characters, plot and overall presentation. In addition, fairytales (as in by Hans Christian Anderson, Grimms Brothers etc.) often rely on personification to build a storyline, the main characters often being a streetlamp, a pea blossom, or other seemingly insignificant object. This is a great example of how the smallest things can be magnified through writing and anything can become a story. All in all, fairytales provide a quick easy read to get those creative juices flowing and that imagination running wild!

Character Development

A perfect place to turn to find some complex characters would be-yep you guessed it-Classics! Now, I’m not saying all modern literature is lacking the depth and connection that bring book characters to life, but I have to admit it’s difficult to find quality three-dimensional characters that keep the attention and emotions flowing throughout the entire book. But one place to count on? Classics! I’m talking Tom Sawyer, To Kill a Mockingbird, Little Women, all those books everybody’s heard of, but few read unless required. (I may or may not be in the small percentage who actually read these for fun XD). The magic of storytelling is creating a character who is three dimensional, draws the audience in with layers upon layers that can be unwrapped as the story progresses, ending with a beautiful gift that leaves the reader longing for more. The best way to master this technique is to experience the fascination of it for oneself and characters like Tom Sawyer or Jo March are the perfect places to turn for this.

One of the best gifts an author can give a reader is that of a well-developed character! Photo by Ekaterina Shevchenko on Unsplash

Description in Moderation

Vivid detail is undoubtedly crucial to any story. However, one of the biggest mistakes writers make (literally my biggest issue) is writing long flowery sentences that are unimportant to the plot and instead clog up the story. Without a doubt, it is important to draw the reader in with details that paint sharp pictures in their mind but the line between eloquence and unnecessary description is fine indeed. So, what exactly does well-written detail look like? My favorite example would be Anne of Green Gables. Montgomery sets each scene with striking detail, whetting the reader’s appetite just enough to draw them in but not too much that they are overwhelmed and discouraged from continuing. Learning how to create such a balance in writing obviously comes from practicing but also from experiencing. As with any skill, taking advice from those who have mastered the art will drastically improve your own abilities. Thus, reading quality stories such as Black Beauty or Anne of Green Gables is invaluable to all writers.

Variety for “Brainfood”

In case you haven’t caught on to the recurring theme, what we immerse ourselves in will inevitably find its way back out in everything we do and that includes our writing. With a wider understanding of society, we can better incorporate reality (or false reality for fantasy writers) into a story, and reading is a more than adequate medium by which to expand our horizons. So, it is my opinion that writers must include a variety of genres on their to-read list as a way to gain insight into other societies, worldviews, lifestyles and ideas. Enter classics! Although classics all fall under one category, they exist in a wide variety of genres and provide a window into other worlds valuable for inspiration and the broadening of knowledge. While the accuracy of the phrase “knowledge is power” can be debatable, knowledge definitely empowers writers with new tools to work with and fresh ideas to mull over. And classics are a safe bet that will not let you down if you’re looking to expand your booklist and become a better writer.

Overcoming Writers Block

We all know the pain and agony of writer’s block- that dry season when the words won’t come, and nothing makes sense in this world.

Photo by Julien L on Unsplash

Okay that might be a little dramatic, but my point is it is not fun. While the internet has several suggestions on conquering a writing slump, an effective way that has been beneficial in my own writing is reading. And what do I read? Classics! Plot-twist, I know. To put it simply, the reason this actually works is because of the characteristics mentioned already. Classics are (9.9 times out of 10) wholesome, beautifully written stories with exemplary components useful in personal writing. No matter what category your own story falls under, classics are a great go-to for inspiration if you’re in a slump because of their versatility and exemplary elements necessary for skillful writing. Disclaimer: this is not to say you should copy ideas, phrases, etc. from any copyrighted piece. However, utilizing books as a resource to spark creativity and observe proper writing is absolutely okay and certainly helpful for conquering that icky writer’s block!

Recap:

Reading classics is essential to ALL fiction writers because it:

• Jumpstarts creativity and provides inspiration

• Implements key pieces crucial for adequate character development

• Demonstrates how to properly write descriptive passages

• Widens knowledge of worldviews and societal practices to enhance writing abilities

• Sparks ideas to overcome writer’s block

If you’re now convinced that reading classics really is helpful for improving your writing (which would be a true statement) then you might be wondering, where do I start? Lucky for you, I’ve already thought of that. Below is a list of some of my favorite classics as well as some still on my to-read list. Happy reading and good luck writing!

• Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

• Black Beauty by Anne Sewell

• Heidi by Johanna Spyri

• Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

• Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

• The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

• The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White

• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

• Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain

• Any compilation of Hans Christian Andersen’s fairytales (unabridged).

Hopefully you found this post helpful and if so buckle up for plenty more coming your way in the near future!