One of the first things we talk about at the beginning of a writing course is this: What does it mean to “read like a writer?” One of the skills that helps students learn to write — or learn to write better — is to alter their reading habits so that instead of reading as readers, they begin to read as writers. The difference is in the focus of the reading. I definitely think close reading is a prerequisite for good writing. It's a way to gain knowledge of the field, to expand ideas about style and voice, and puts the writer in the position of the person he hopes will one day be reading what he writes.When you read like writer you work to identify some of the choices the author made so that you can better understand how such choices might
