--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: read widely, not in order to copy someone…" description: "\"read widely, not in order to copy someone else's style, but to learn to appreciate and recognize good writing and to see how the best writers have achi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/533/p-d-james-2-8190_appreciate_read-widely-not-in-order-to-copy-someone_267000.png" --- # read widely, not in order to copy someone else's style… ![“read widely, not in order to copy someone else's style, but to learn to appreciate and recognize good writing and to see how the best writers have achieved their result. Poor writing is, unfortunately, infectious and should be avoided.” quote by P. D. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/533/p-d-james-2-8190_appreciate_read-widely-not-in-order-to-copy-someone_267000.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/533/p-d-james-2-8190_appreciate_read-widely-not-in-order-to-copy-someone_267000.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/533/p-d-james-2-8190_appreciate_read-widely-not-in-order-to-copy-someone_267000.png) > “read widely, not in order to copy someone else's style, but to learn to appreciate and recognize good writing and to see how the best writers have achieved their result. Poor writing is, unfortunately, infectious and should be avoided.” [P. D. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-james/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Read broadly to recognize quality, avoid copying, and prevent the spread of poor writing. **In simple terms:** Read widely, avoid copying, prevent bad writing. Key Takeaway Read, emulate quality, reject bad habits. Themes reading writing learning quality influence Mood educational analytical Type instructional literary When to use this quote - writing workshops - editing - literary critique Key Concepts literary analysis creative development critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - How do you apply insights from reading to your own writing? - What habits help you avoid copying? A Different Perspective Reading alone doesn’t guarantee skill without practice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Good writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-writing/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Style](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/style/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“Read widely and with discrimination. Bad writing is contagious." \[ Ten rules for writing fiction , The Guardian, 20 February 2010 (with Diana Athill,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-james/read-widely-and-with-discrimination-bad-writing-is-contagious-ten/) [P. D. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-james/) > [I've been in some bad TV shows and suffered through so much poor writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-sheridan/i-ve-been-in-some-bad-tv-shows-and-suffered-through-so-much-poor/) [Taylor Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-sheridan/) > [Poor reading, like poor writing, is imposing what you already know on texts. You should go into reading to discover, not to reaffirm what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azar-nafisi/poor-reading-like-poor-writing-is-imposing-what-you-already-know-on/) [Azar Nafisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azar-nafisi/) > [“Poor writing is lazy, careless writing, an attempt to communicate without adequate preparation or care. It is writing replete with passive construction, limp verbs,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-nichol/poor-writing-is-lazy-careless-writing-an-attempt-to-communicate/) Mark Nichol > [We're not just writers; we're readers probably more than anything else. That's how you learn how to write and how you learn to appreciate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-berg/we-re-not-just-writers-we-re-readers-probably-more-than-anything-else/) [Elizabeth Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-berg/) > [I grew up in a bookish family, so I read very widely. I was omnivorous, really.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-gavriel-kay/i-grew-up-in-a-bookish-family-so-i-read-very-widely-i-was-omnivorous/) [Guy Gavriel Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-gavriel-kay/) > [“You read widely to be shaped, not so that you might be prepared to regurgitate.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-wilson/you-read-widely-to-be-shaped-not-so-that-you-might-be-prepared-to/) [Douglas Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-wilson/) > [There are people out there who genuinely love literature, who genuinely love to read and read widely, who will never like, or even necessarily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-coady/there-are-people-out-there-who-genuinely-love-literature-who/) [Lynn Coady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-coady/) > [Read widely of others' experiences, even if it'd be more comfortable to snuggle back in the comforting cotton-wool of blissful ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/read-widely-of-others-experiences-even-if-it-d-be-more-comfortable-to/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [... to write well it is entirely necessary to read widely and deeply. Good poems are the best teachers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-oliver/to-write-well-it-is-entirely-necessary-to-read-widely-and-deeply-good/) [Mary Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-oliver/) > [Misquotation is, in fact, the pride and privilege of the learned. A widely- read man never quotes accurately, for the rather obvious reason that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hesketh-pearson/misquotation-is-in-fact-the-pride-and-privilege-of-the-learned-a/) [Hesketh Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hesketh-pearson/) > [What works for me is that I read widely and stay focused on my writing. I'm no longer concerned about what happens in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sefi-atta/what-works-for-me-is-that-i-read-widely-and-stay-focused-on-my/) [Sefi Atta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sefi-atta/) > [“You have to read widely, constantly refining (and redefining) your own work as you do so. It’s hard for me to believe that people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/you-have-to-read-widely-constantly-refining-and-redefining-your-own/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [People like to complain about the state of contemporary literature, but I can only assume they don't read it very widely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-miller/people-like-to-complain-about-the-state-of-contemporary-literature/) [Laura Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-miller/) > [I think that's not a question that one can answer accurately. I read a whole range of books, quite a lot of history at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hume/i-think-that-s-not-a-question-that-one-can-answer-accurately-i-read-a/) [John Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hume/) ## More by P. D. James > [What was so terrible about grief was not grief itself, but that one got over it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-james/what-was-so-terrible-about-grief-was-not-grief-itself-but-that-one/) [P. D. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-james/) > [Work did bestow dignity, status, meaning. Wasn't that why people dreaded unemployment, why some men found retirement so traumatic?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-james/work-did-bestow-dignity-status-meaning-wasn-t-that-why-people-dreaded/) [P. D. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-james/) > [If you are proposing to commit a sin it is as well to commit it with intelligence. Otherwise you are insulting God as well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-james/if-you-are-proposing-to-commit-a-sin-it-is-as-well-to-commit-it-with/) [P. D. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-james/) > [What the detective story is about is not murder but the restoration of order.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-james/what-the-detective-story-is-about-is-not-murder-but-the-restoration/) [P. D. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-james/) > [It's possible to fight intolerance, stupidity and fanaticism when they come separately. When you get all three together it's probably wiser to get out,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-james/it-s-possible-to-fight-intolerance-stupidity-and-fanaticism-when-they/) [P. D. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-james/) > [Death ... obliterates family resemblance as it does personality: there is no affinity between the living and the dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-james/death-obliterates-family-resemblance-as-it-does-personality-there-is/) [P. D. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-james/) > [Publishers don't nurse you; they buy and sell you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-james/publishers-don-t-nurse-you-they-buy-and-sell-you/) [P. D. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-james/) > [No government can act in advance of the moral will of the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-james/no-government-can-act-in-advance-of-the-moral-will-of-the-people/) [P. D. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-james/) > [If all power corrupts, then a doctor, who literally holds life and death in his hands, must be at particular risk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-james/if-all-power-corrupts-then-a-doctor-who-literally-holds-life-and/) [P. D. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-james/) > [In youth we take egregious risks because death has no reality for us. Youth goes caparisoned in immortality. It is only in middle age…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-james/in-youth-we-take-egregious-risks-because-death-has-no-reality-for-us/) [P. D. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-james/) > [It is always easy to question the judgement of others in matters of which we may be imperfectly informed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-james/it-is-always-easy-to-question-the-judgement-of-others-in-matters-of/) [P. D. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-james/) > [First-class travel, provided one hasn't to pay for it oneself, is the most insidiously addictive of life's luxuries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-james/first-class-travel-provided-one-hasn-t-to-pay-for-it-oneself-is-the/) [P. D. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-james/) > [Can we ever break free of the devices and desires of our own hearts? Might not our conscience be telling us what we most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-james/can-we-ever-break-free-of-the-devices-and-desires-of-our-own-hearts/) [P. D. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-james/) > [Metaphysical speculation is about as pointless as a discussion on the meaning of one's lungs. They're for breathing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-james/metaphysical-speculation-is-about-as-pointless-as-a-discussion-on-the/) [P. D. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-james/) > [I knew the facts of death before I knew the facts of life. There never was a time when I didn't see the skull…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-james/i-knew-the-facts-of-death-before-i-knew-the-facts-of-life-there-never/) [P. D. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-james/) [Explore all 83 P. D. James quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-james/) ## More Appreciate quotes > [All I hear is the people that appreciate me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-hardy/all-i-hear-is-the-people-that-appreciate-me/) [Greg Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-hardy/) > [I think that kind of balance comes with the process of growing together as a band, the Little Dragon. We love to write, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yukimi-nagano/i-think-that-kind-of-balance-comes-with-the-process-of-growing/) [Yukimi Nagano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yukimi-nagano/) > [Time is really gold,spent it wisely with the people around you.Spread love,appreciate the beauty around you!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jglargosta/time-is-really-gold-spent-it-wisely-with-the-people-around-you-spread/) [Jglargosta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jglargosta/) > [Because there are three classes of intellects: one which comprehends by itself; another which appreciates what others comprehend; and a third which neither comprehends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niccolo-machiavelli/because-there-are-three-classes-of-intellects-one-which-comprehends/) [Niccolo Machiavelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niccolo-machiavelli/) > [Eventually the consumer will come to appreciate the editorial point of view of every different brand. User-generated content without editorial oversight will simply be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eisner/eventually-the-consumer-will-come-to-appreciate-the-editorial-point/) [Michael Eisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eisner/) > [The connoisseur of art must be able to appreciate what is simply beautiful, but the common run of people is satisfied with ornament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/the-connoisseur-of-art-must-be-able-to-appreciate-what-is-simply/) [Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [The laws of thermodynamics, as empirically determined, express the approximate and probable behavior of systems of a great number of particles, or, more precisely,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-willard-gibbs/the-laws-of-thermodynamics-as-empirically-determined-express-the/) J. Willard Gibbs > [This time, there were no drugs involved. The hours were completely normal daytime hours. I think we were able to appreciate the interplay, where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-buckingham/this-time-there-were-no-drugs-involved-the-hours-were-completely/) [Lindsey Buckingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-buckingham/) > [I would like beautiful gymnastics to be recognized as the best. I want the judges to appreciate things that are not necessarily winning points.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kohei-uchimura/i-would-like-beautiful-gymnastics-to-be-recognized-as-the-best-i-want/) [Kohei Uchimura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kohei-uchimura/) > [One of the most important rules for success is this: Every great success is the result of hundreds and thousands of small efforts and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/one-of-the-most-important-rules-for-success-is-this-every-great/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [It's great at this stage in my life to still be in the running, that people appreciate you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/it-s-great-at-this-stage-in-my-life-to-still-be-in-the-running-that/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [The sectaries of a persecuted religion, depressed by fear, animated with resentment, and perhaps heated by enthusiasm, are seldom in a proper temper of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/the-sectaries-of-a-persecuted-religion-depressed-by-fear-animated/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [Love is too wonderful for us but why we often times do not ever appreciate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamad-idrus/love-is-too-wonderful-for-us-but-why-we-often-times-do-not-ever/) [Mohamad Idrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamad-idrus/) > [I think the most important thing is to stay hopeful, to believe wonderful things are possible and do your best. Basically, to not give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irena-a-hoffman/i-think-the-most-important-thing-is-to-stay-hopeful-to-believe/) [Irena A. Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irena-a-hoffman/) > [“Admire and appreciate your man and he will be happy on your side”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-alfiori/admire-and-appreciate-your-man-and-he-will-be-happy-on-your-side/) [Linda Alfiori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-alfiori/) Browse all 3,873 Appreciate quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "read widely, not in order to copy someone else's style, but to learn to appreciate and recognize good writing and to see how the best writers have achieved their result. Poor writing is, unfortunately, infectious and should be avoided.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "P. D. James" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-james/read-widely-not-in-order-to-copy-someone-else-s-style-but-to-learn-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Appreciate" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-james/read-widely-not-in-order-to-copy-someone-else-s-style-but-to-learn-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/533/p-d-james-2-8190_appreciate_read-widely-not-in-order-to-copy-someone_267000.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/533/p-d-james-2-8190_appreciate_read-widely-not-in-order-to-copy-someone_267000.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/533/p-d-james-2-8190_appreciate_read-widely-not-in-order-to-copy-someone_267000.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“read widely, not in order to copy someone else's style, but to learn to appreciate and recognize good…” — P. D. James", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "P. D. James", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-d-james/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "read widely, not in order to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-james/read-widely-not-in-order-to-copy-someone-else-s-style-but-to-learn-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-d-james/read-widely-not-in-order-to-copy-someone-else-s-style-but-to-learn-to/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```