I’m a very wide reader, in that I don’t really discriminate a whole lot on what I read. Sure, I have favorite genres and styles over others. Who doesn’t. But I can just as happily sink into a high fantasy epic saga as a romance novel, a memoir as a horror story, a LitRPG comedy as a historical investigation. I’m pretty specifically thinking of certain books here, and I enjoy them all.
Of course, there are plenty of things I don’t have a ton of interest in reading. There are genres and even authors I can’t make it through. For example, I’ve tried multiple times, in multiple ways to read Terry Pratchett’s books, and my brain just cannot parse them and enjoy them. And it sucks, because it’s a world I enjoy (I have a friend who tells me about them and I’ve seen one of the movies).
But the point is that I don’t narrowmindedly discard a book because it’s not a genre I’m familiar with. I don’t read a lot of romance, but I do read it. That goes from the basic boy-meets-girl love story through heavy erotica. I read from cyberpunk sci-fi to space marines and beyond. I’ve enjoyed a number of memoirs and histories (only really about people or events I’m interested in, but it’s still interesting).
The point is, everything influences what I write. If I have a romantic arc, I can tap into what I’ve learned from romance novels. Need to amp up tension and fear for a situation? Great, I have some tricks I’ve picked up from horror stories.
The point is, I write what I want and do the best I can at it. There are so many words out there. Read them.
Even if all you take from them is what NOT to do. Because believe me, I have plenty of things I’ve read that taught me those kinds of lessons, too.
Of course, there are plenty of things I don’t have a ton of interest in reading. There are genres and even authors I can’t make it through. For example, I’ve tried multiple times, in multiple ways to read Terry Pratchett’s books, and my brain just cannot parse them and enjoy them. And it sucks, because it’s a world I enjoy (I have a friend who tells me about them and I’ve seen one of the movies).
But the point is that I don’t narrowmindedly discard a book because it’s not a genre I’m familiar with. I don’t read a lot of romance, but I do read it. That goes from the basic boy-meets-girl love story through heavy erotica. I read from cyberpunk sci-fi to space marines and beyond. I’ve enjoyed a number of memoirs and histories (only really about people or events I’m interested in, but it’s still interesting).
The point is, everything influences what I write. If I have a romantic arc, I can tap into what I’ve learned from romance novels. Need to amp up tension and fear for a situation? Great, I have some tricks I’ve picked up from horror stories.
The point is, I write what I want and do the best I can at it. There are so many words out there. Read them.
Even if all you take from them is what NOT to do. Because believe me, I have plenty of things I’ve read that taught me those kinds of lessons, too.
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