When you work in PR, reading media is part of the job. To keep up on news and trends we read the newspaper, blog posts and magazine articles on a daily basis. But, we also like to take reading media a step further and use it as a tool to improve our writing skills by honing in on what kind of writing draws us in and identifying the writing styles we enjoy and want to emulate. Here are a few favorite writers who inspire me. Gail Collins (The New York Times) With so much seriousness and scrutiny around the upcoming election, there is nothing I enjoy more in a political writer than a little humor and wit. Gail Collins nails both. Every column she writes is a gem – thoughtful, funny, informative and down to earth. Julia Engel (Gal Meets Glam) As the PR industry evolves, we spend more and more time working with bloggers. Therefore, we spend more and more time reading said blogs. Julia Engel of the lifestyle blog Gal Meets Glam writes as flowery and beautiful as she dresses. It’s always a pleasure to read her eloquently written posts about traveling, clothes and everything in between. Bob Condotta (The Seattle Times) Here in Seattle, being a Seahawks expert is as important as having a rain jacket. But, with busy schedules and sometimes more important shows to watch (ahem, Bachelor in Paradise), it isn’t always possible to digest every second of the game. My secret weapon? Bob Condotta. His daily column in The Seattle Times keeps me up to date on everything 12^th Man and delivers interesting tidbits, personal stories and stats in short, easy-to-follow articles. Condotta gets right to the point, and I strive to be as concise and explanatory as he is in my own writing. Do you have any favorite writers? Share them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram so we can read their work, too!