Most authors write in one genre. Reading books in that genre is important, but so is reading more widely, to discover other styles and genres to enrich your writing.
Writers need to read a lot to understand fiction, to learn how to use language, and to internalize plotting ideas. Stephen King, in his book On Writing, said, “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.” Just as basketball players practice free throws over and over, reading and writing are the workouts that writers need to become proficient.
It’s important to read a wide variety of fiction, not just the genre you write in. The more types of fiction you read, the more you discover new ideas, new types of characters, and new plots.
Read in your genre
When you write in a genre, your work needs to fit with that genre’s conventions. You should read a lot in your genre so you understand the way stories are told, as well as current market trends and reader expectations. It’s also important to be aware of what’s already been published in that genre, to read the established authors of the genre, as well as up-and-coming authors. Every author of fantasy fiction must read J.R.R. Tolkien, who was the first popular author in the genre, and no author of crime fiction should neglect reading Raymond Chandler.
It’s also important for writers to read outside their genre. For example, some science fiction novels feature mystery or crime plots; you can only understand how to work with that sort of plot if you read crime fiction. Mysteries often have a bit of romance, so reading romance novels helps crime fiction authors make those parts of their books more realistic.
You should also keep up with the best-selling novels and most popular authors in your genre. When trying to sell a novel, you align your manuscript with existing authors and trends. You cannot approach an agent with a book proposal without including some “comp authors,” writers whose work yours is similar to. These can help an agent or publisher figure out where your book can fit in the market.
The risk of reading narrowly
Comp authors are mainly used behind the scenes in the publishing industry, but it’s become common to see them presented to the general public. You often see books marketed as “Great for fans of A or B.” You may be attracted by a book that is similar to a writer you like, but this funnels readers toward a narrow range of books. Lately, there’s a trend where readers search for books by trope, such as Starchy Hero Gets Un-Starched or The Shallow Best Friend Trope. There are lists on Goodreads that collect books that tell the same story in a different way.
Writers should go beyond these tropes and seek out books that they wouldn’t think of reading. Find some popular books that you’d normally not read, in any genre, and try to understand what makes them so popular; think of how those books’ plots, style, or characters resonate with readers. This can give you valuable lessons for your own writing.
What you can learn from reading widely
Reading widely has many advantages. You’ll discover different narrative structures, plotting techniques, and pacing strategies that can help you enhance your writing. Reading a wide range of fiction can expand your vocabulary and help you discover a wide range of writing styles. For example, mystery writer James Ellroy uses mostly short, staccato sentences, stripped to the bone. While you may not want to adopt this style for an entire novel, his kind of dialogue could be good to use for a character in your book.
Reading widely also exposes you to ideas that aren’t present in your genre. Haruki Murakami said, in Norwegian Wood, “If you only read the books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking.” It’s not just what others are thinking, but the way they think and the way they express themselves. The more varied books you read, the more texture and depth you can add to your own writing.
Read the classics
Many people suggest reading the classics. Classics are books that have stood the test of time, that have been read by generations of readers for decades or even centuries. In many cases, classics are genre fiction. Think of authors like Charles Dickens, Alexandre Dumas, or Fyodor Dostoyevsky. They all published their fiction in serial form, and none of these authors were considered to be “literature” in their time.
Looking back at some of these books, you can see that they stand as exemplars of their time, and many of these classics are the foundations for the plots that writers tell today. The character types in many of these works are also part of our collective unconscious, and they can help writers develop their own characters today.
Read everything
William Faulkner said, “Read, read, read. Read everything—trash, classics, good and bad, and see how they do it. Just like a carpenter who works as an apprentice and studies the master. Read! You’ll absorb it. Then write. If it’s good, you’ll find out. If it’s not, throw it out of the window.”
Read books from different times and different cultures. Read genres that you don’t read. Read non-fiction to discover ideas that you can incorporate into your characters’ worldviews. Read poetry to understand metaphor, imagery, and economic language. Read plays and screenplays to learn how to write effective dialogue.
The more you read, the more you discover about literature and human nature; broadening your reading can change the way you write.
Kirk McElhearn is a writer, podcaster, and photographer. He is the author of Take Control of Scrivener, and host of the podcast Write Now with Scrivener. He also offers one-to-one Scrivener coaching.