“Good writing is good reading.”
What makes writing “good writing?” Everyone has a different style, a different preference for how they read and what they like to read. Is good writing subjective? If so does that also make good reading subjective?
There is, I think, a line that anyone with any sort of experience in reading or writing will notice. The use of words is an art form. Some do it better than others. I read something and say it is good writing, or I read something and say it is bad writing. My opinion is subjective, but will most likely be recognized by others. I do not find J.K. Rowling to be a terribly good writer, yet her books are enjoyable to read. They are, in a sense, “good reading.” How, then, can mediocre writing be followed by good reading? Or when someone says good writing is good reading do they automatically designate a certain type of writing with their definition of good reading? Maybe “good reading” is not the same as “enjoyable reading.”
For me, good writing does constitute good reading. When the art of the written word is done well, the content and message are free to reach out and grasp the reader without first tripping over awkward sentence structure and boring word choice. J.K, Rowling’s content has to make great strides to make up for the lack-luster writing, whereas Dave Eggers paints his memories on the page on the same level as he paints the words used to describe those memories.
In the long run I guess a certain group of people are bound to have one type of subjectivity associated with that phrase, though for others it could mean something entirely different.