I was in the grocery store last week when someone stopped me and said, “I saw your Facebook post with the writing tips, and I noticed that you said ‘rewrite,’ but I wondered: do you reread?”
It’s a great question.
And the short answer is: yes. I reread.
The long(er) answer is: I reread now more than I ever have before.
Every time I reread a beloved book, I learn how to tell a story, but I also learn more about the story of myself—who I am and how I’ve changed.
Recently, I’ve been rereading Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist.
I was 19 years old the last time I spent time with these characters.
36 years ago, I read for the plot. I read to find out what was going to happen.
Now, I read for my heart—the breaking of it, and the mending of it.

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