Great Writers are Great Readers
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The purpose of this project is to have you investigate and consciously examine what you have read, why you have
read these works, how you find new fiction to read, where you get information about new fiction, and reflect upon
whether you want to write the kinds of stories you enjoy reading.
Step 1: Review the list of “best books” on Blackboard and highlight the novels you have read.
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After completing the highlighting, write a brief reflection essay on what the highlighting reveals. Are
there areas with lots of highlighting and areas with very little/no highlighting? Is there an “empty”
place that you’d like to be full of highlighting? Did you recognize many or some of the novels you
have not read? Of the books you have read, how did you first hear about these novels? What made you
want to read them?
Step 2: Add books to the list. The list I have created is purposefully incomplete. Add 15-20 books (novels,
novellas, or short story collections) to existing categories or create a new category and suggest 15-20
books for it.
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After you have found 10-15 books, write a brief reflection essay upon how you found these books.
What methods did you choose? Where did you go? Who did you talk to? Is this your normal way of
locating books to read? How did this process differ from the normal way you find books to read?
Step 3: Create your own “canon”—a list of 25-30 novels, novellas, or short story collections (but not plays,
epic poems, ancient myths, movies, or nonfiction), which you believe are the greatest works of prose
fiction ever.
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Afterwards, write a brief reflection essay on the list you have created. Why did you choose the books
you chose? What makes these books great? Are there any books on the list that you have not actually
read? Are there any books on your list that you have not read and have no immediate plans to read? If
so, why are these books on your list? Is it because they are “classics?” Do you feel obligated to read
certain books, even if you aren’t excited about them? What makes you excited to read a particular new
novel? What do you look forward to? What do you anticipate emotionally and stylistically that leads to
your excitement?
Step 4: From your list of 25-30 works of fiction, choose one to read this semester that you have read and admire
deeply, a book you have re-read before, a book that made you want to be a writer, or a book that made
you say, “I wish I had written this book.” Explain why you admire this book and what about it you
want to copy/imitate.