Read the Thing

Everyone knows (or should know) that you can't be a writer unless you're a reader. Reading is how we learn the craft, whether that knowledge comes from emulating the great books or analyzing the bad. When it comes to genre, reading that genre is how writers learn the conventions, stylistic variations, common themes, and tropes. If I had to make a list of the most common advice I've read in "writing 101" books, "read your genre" would come in at #2, right between "open in media res" and "write what you know."

Just like those other two chestnuts, though, "read your genre" has its own pitfalls as a piece of advice. While it's important to read and understand your genre of choice, it's my opinion that only reading the genre you write is a quick way to get stuck in a rut.

Years ago in high school (okay, not that many years ago; I am only 20), I was trying to come up with a new story idea for a NaNoWriMo novel. Fantasy is my genre of choice and always has been, and I wanted to put together a stunning work of epic quests, creatures, and discoveries. I was, however, stuck fast. Everything I scribbled out in my notebook seemed trite and overdone, and I pitched countless harried notes into File 13, never to be heard from again.

It was at that point my mom came to me with a book she loved, but that was vastly different than anything I've ever written: Naked in Death, by J.D. Robb.

I loved that book. I'm a couple books behind in the series now, but I've read most of them more than once and will keep reading them as long as they're being written. They're not part of my favorite genre, but that doesn't make them bad. I enjoy those books more than some fantasy I've read, because they're well-written, they have strong characters who go through realistic arcs, and while some of the cases the main character solves might be "formulaic," they always contribute to the characters' overall growth as a person. They're great and I can't recommend them highly enough.

And, at that point in time, they were just what I needed. Reading good books that weren't part of my genre bounced me out of the rut I was in. I didn't stop to analyze every little thing because it was a genre I was trying to write; rather, I was able to sit back and enjoy a damn good story. It was only after I read the first few books in the series that I stepped back and examined what made me love them.

It was that examination that made me realize I can't just think about my genre and its "rules," I have to focus first on telling a story I'm passionate about and that has a strong story.

It's important to read the genre you write, but I think it's more important to read good books and, once you've taken time to enjoy them, then take a moment to think about what you loved. Every genre needs strong characters and an engaging plot, not just your chosen genre, and reading widely exposes you to different techniques you can try out for yourself.

Thoughts, anyone?

'Til next time,
J.