The one thing everyone tells a young writer, the holy grail of all direction, is to read more. I think this is right, but misdirected. Because when you ask what, they’ll usually try to sell on gravity’s rainbow, infinite jest, etc- as vitally necessary hurdles. What they won’t tell you: read the takeout menu. Even if you order the same thing every time. Read your cousin’s long winded Facebook posts about gun control. Read baptist church signs. Read instructions. I have found that since I began living this way, most of the prose that has changed me wasn’t trying to.