GIGO

I bought two books on Sunday. The Best American Short Stories of the Century edited by John Updike and The Best of the Best: 20 Years of the Year’s Best Science Fiction edited by Gardner Dozois. I plan to read these books cover to cover and glean what I can from them. If you’re going to design a car do you want to study a Dodge Dart or a Ferrari? I have a theory that you can pick up writing ability better by reading lots of good stuff than by reading lots of how-to articles and books. It’s like learning through osmosis. My writer sister disagrees. But everyone believes in GIGO (Garbage In, Garbage Out), right? So why not GIGO (Greatness IN, Greatness Out)? Exactly. So from now on instead of thinking GIGO, think GIGO. And go read some good stuff.