Reading NatGeo

In general, I'm a fairly busy person. I put in a ton of hours at my 'day' job, have a wife and a home to take care of as well as all the other business of life. On top of that, I work to find as much writing time for my books as I can. That's a lot to have on the plate, all the time.

One thing a writer must also find time to do is read. Reading is like practice for anything else. As an author, one's reading should primarily be along the lines of the genre you write in. There are several reasons for that, among them keeping up with trends and finding ideas for your own works. But one should also read outside your preferred genre. Finding an author whose style you like whether inside or outside of your genre helps to make one a better writer. Perhaps you can use elements of that style in your own.

With my time crunches already built into my world, I find one of the best things to read is National Geographic magazine. Really, you ask? Really! Most who know little of this gem only know of the photography. While the images are often dramatic, the writing can also be powerful. Some of the best descriptive scenes I have read come from these pages. The writers are telling a story just as you would find in any book, short or novel. But unlike other periodicals, they also give you a sense of place by description, touch and scent. It's odd that the writing would need to include such descriptive passages that are accompanied by dramatic scenery, but I find some of the best writing out there to be within these pages.

Although I enjoy the scientific and social elements of this magazine, I believe the writing within holds as much for me as anything else. It is the only periodical I subscribe to. Well, I am kinda busy, you know.