"Anything you read can influence your work, so I try to read good stuff"

S. E. Hinton's quote, "Anything you check out can influence your work, so I try to check out great things", illuminates the profound impact that reading can have on innovative pursuits. As a well-known author, Hinton comprehends that the quality of one's input-- what one checks out-- inevitably shapes the quality of one's output, in this case, writing or any other innovative venture. By carefully choosing what she checks out, Hinton deliberately curates the concepts, styles, and vocabularies that may influence her work.

The first part of the quote, "Anything you check out can affect your work", acknowledges the pervasive nature of influence. Reading is not a passive activity; it is interactive and transformative. The words, characters, styles, and writing styles that an author encounters enter into their cognitive toolkit. They offer recommendations, new perspectives, and different voices that an author can draw upon, purposely or subconsciously, in their own writing. Hence, literature, despite its type, can act as a catalyst for creativity, prompting authors to explore different genres or explore brand-new narrative techniques.

The 2nd part of the quote, "so I attempt to read good things", stresses the value of discernment in selecting reading materials. In a world inundated with material, choosing "good things" demands a vital assessment of what is rewarding and improving. Hinton suggests that by checking out top quality literature, one can soak up and be influenced by well-crafted stories, advanced language, and original thought. Such direct exposure not only boosts one's writing skills but likewise expands their understanding of storytelling and deepens their insight into the human condition.

In essence, Hinton's quote acts as a pointer of the cooperative relationship in between reading and writing. Writers are, by default, readers initially, and what they pick to take in plays an important function in specifying their voice, style, and the messages they want to convey in their work.