A few key qualities are needed for an individual to be a good reader and writer. Besides the obvious (proper spelling, grammar, mechanics, syntax, etc.), one of the most important traits a person can have is the ability to keep their writing organized. It is hard to read a piece of authored work that is messy; often times, this makes it harder for the author to get their point across. Likewise, a good reader needs to be able to recognize an author’s organization in order to enhance their grasp of the central ideas within a variety of authored works. Good writers also need to avoid repetition, since this makes for a boring read. I know from personal experience that when I read an authored work that repeats itself over and over in a redundant fashion, I have a tendency to put the work down and find other things to do.
Good readers can’t just skim through four pages and claim that they are “done”. I think one of the most important things a reader can do is take the time to go back and re-read elements of a text that they did not understand the first time around. A good reader makes it a point to keep a dictionary at their side, ready to look up words that the author had found to be particularly useful. This helps a good reader facilitate a deeper comprehension of not only the central point that the author is trying to make, but also the author’s point of view.
It is important to remember that while good reading and writing takes time, practice, patience, and effort, good readers and writers have developed these tools in order to become exponentially better at reading and writing.
