Up Your Writing Game Through Summer Reading

School’s out for the summer! What’s one of my favorite summertime activities? Why reading, of course. I’ll read at the beach, by the pool, in a hammock, on a roadtrip. (I’m starting to feel like Dr. Seuss here.)

But here’s a sneaky secret. All the books I read aren’t just for entertainment. They pull double duty as writing craft instruction.

When I read, I notice elements of the writing craft, like an author’s use of sensory details, lyrical language, story structure, the balance of text and illustrations, and more. Then, when I am trying to accomplish something in my own writing, I refer back to these books to help show me the way.

Every book I read becomes a mentor text. The Iowa Reading Research Center defines a mentor text as “written pieces that serve as an example of good writing for student writers.” They are invaluable for young writers, as well as published authors. Every seasoned author I know uses mentor texts.

But here’s the thing. A mentor text is only helpful if I can remember what you read. How do I record what I’m reading? Through mentor text record form.

I’ve developed a Google form authors and teachers can use to record their mentor text reading. When you click the link, you will be forced to save a copy to your own Google drive. Once saved, you can fill out a form for each book you read, and save your records electronically. Or you can print off the form if you prefer to work on paper.

Looking for more mentor text resources? Fellow author and educator Marcie Flinchum Atkins has a wealth of resources on her website. Find them here.

Looking for mentor text recommendations? Check out educator Jen Vincent’s Teach Mentor Texts.