Karen Woodward: Analyzing Story Structure

This is a great post about reading critically.  How do you do this?  

I try to read critically in order to learn from other writers.  I can see what they try and decide if I think it works or not.  But honestly I have a hard time.  Like Karen, I get caught up in the story, if the writing is good, and forget to pay attention to the technical aspects.  So I find myself going back to read passages again so I can note technical elements.   

All of the questions that Karen poses in this article are valid things to look for as we read critically.  As I read through them I thought to myself that it would take me forever to read a book if I noted all these things.  Although, like anything else, it probably gets easier and faster the more you do it. 

You have given me a great deal to think about Ms Woodward.  Thank you.

Karen Woodward: Analyzing Story Structure: We've all heard the advise that to become a better writer we must first become better readers. I'd like to take this advice seriously. ...