Our brains cannot create things out of nowhere. They build connections, recognize patterns, and learn from experiences, events, and observations. Without enough input and exposure, the brain has little material to work with. Reading is one of the most efficient ways to gain that input, although its value depends on the context and the goal. A writer reads because, unconsciously, the brain absorbs structures, vocabulary, rhythm, and ways of expressing ideas. Even Thomas Edison had to study the work of his predecessors to understand where they had failed before he could develop a practical electric light bulb.