Study the Move, Not the Writer

When a sentence in a book stays with you, look beyond what it says. Notice how it carries its meaning: a concrete image, a repeated phrase, a pause, or a short line after a long one.

Try this small writing exercise:

1. Choose one craft move you admire.
2. Set the book aside. Write four sentences about something you genuinely want to express, using that move—but not the writer’s wording or subject.
3. Read your draft aloud. Keep the technique only if it helps your meaning arrive more clearly.

The aim isn’t to sound like someone else. It’s to discover a tool, then put it to work in your own voice.