Words for Writers: Read. Your Craft Depends On It.

I read books for the same reason I eat the still-beating hearts of my enemies: to gain their power. -Dan Wells

I love that quote. For writers there's so much truth in it. I've learned more about the craft of writing by doing, and reading, than I have by reading instruction manuals. There are some really good books on the craft of writing out there. One, Stephen King's "On Writing" (before reading the book you must realize that King is a pompous ass, and comes off as if his method is gospel.). For fantasy writers Orson Scott Card's "How To Write Science Fiction and Fantasy" is quite dandy.

As good as both of those books are I've discovered more about myself, and putting words to the page, by spending hours with my nose in book after book. About two weeks ago I started reading "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin. I had put off reading this book for a while. There is so much hype around it. You could surf message boards for hours, and the posters exalt this series as the greatest fantasy series ever written. I let "A Game of Thrones" gather dust on my bookcase for close to a year before I picked it up.

Months ago I came across news that HBO was adapting Marin's series into for the small screen. This piked my interest but I resisted opening the cover, and digging into the story. A few weeks ago I caught the first trailer, and was blown away. I think HBO may have adapted the most beautiful fantasy series since Peter Jackson worked on "The Lord of the Rings." Still I left the book alone. About two weeks ago I caught an 11 minute clip of behind the scenes footage for the series. They interviewed different characters, and Marin himself. I could resist any longer, and read the story.

I was immersed.

First, I've never read such real people before. I can't think of many writers who can compare to George Martin's characterization skills, particularly his Daenerys story line. Her evolution as a character was beautiful to read. It was like watching a caterpillar become a butterfly.

The overall series, "A Song of Ice and Fire," is big. Mr. Martin planned seven books. His plotting is brilliant. I've gleaned nugget after nugget reading "Thrones." The unique thing about fantasy is that you can get away with writing big sprawling epics. That's why a lot of readers love the genre. The problem is a lot of fantasy writers aren't very good at plotting, or foreshadowing. Sitting here thinking about "A Game of Thrones" I recall small things that George Martin did at the beginning of the book that didn't come to fruition until six hundred pages later. His hinting, and nudging, and game of smoke and mirrors was comparable to the Mona Lisa. His writing, plotting, foreshadowing was artwork. It should be admired.

I could go on and on. I've never read someone who could juggle so many point of views in one book. Just off hand I think Martin had about 7 to 8 characters who's point of view you read from. The only other writer who could match that is Robert Jordan, but even in "The Wheel of Time" you don't get into many multiple POV's until books later.

George Martin's prose was quick, easy, and brisk. The problem with so many fantasy writers is that their sentences are so long, and meandering, that I quite reading. It's distracting and can be very frustrating. Mr. Martin packed some heavy punch in small sentences, and catapulted me from word to word with this method. I loved it.

I've got thirty pages left of "A Game of Thrones." As soon as I close the book I'm going to take its sequel, "A Clash of Kings," from my bookcase and devour it. I kind of feel like I've been endowed with some special power after reading George R.R. Martin's writing. It has been an exhilarating experience. If you want to learn about the art of writing great fantasy pick up "A Song of Ice and Fire" by George R.R. Martin. I've learned more in these 800 pages than I have reading Tolkien, Lewis, and anyone else you stand next to Mr. Martin.

Read, writers.

There's power to be gained by the page!