5 kinds of books writers ought to learn to be able to grow to be a greater author
Do you love books Are books the reason you wanted to be a writer? Want to become a better writer but not sure which books to read?
It's an age-old lesson that if you want to be a great writer, you have to read and read a lot!
But how can you, as a writer, choose the right books to read? After all, time is limited and precious. As much as we'd love to read almost anything, we can't.
How do we choose our titles wisely?
I would recommend turning your attention and paperback to five types of books.
I've loved reading for ages (does that sound familiar?)
We love books.
If we weren't, we wouldn't be here trying to write our own. Books offer endless possibilities. I don't remember a time in my life when I didn't love books.
I cried and begged at the age of ten until my parents agreed to drag a box of childhood books from China to the United States, using up precious space on my father's moving allowance. I still have most of these books. My early years in the country focused on English and read endless piles of goosebumps and babysitting clubs.
I worked in my high school library to be the first to get my hands on the newest Stephen King.
My backpack almost always contained at least one novel.
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Writers share a love for reading. But with precious free time, writers have to choose which books to read. These five types will make you a better writer while also nurturing your love of reading.
Like many of us, I had a favorite genre that I was drawn to from an early age. I love horror novels, which is pretty strange considering that I can't stand horror movies and was kept up to date by PG-13 horror TV shows at night.
But for much of my teenage years and early twenties, I read obsessively about R. L. Stine, Stephen King, Dean Koontz, and John Saul.
Unsurprisingly, most of what I wrote during this period was horror. I got really excited writing bloody, pointless little ficlets filled with violent scenes because I thought they were horror novels. In reality, I was just mimicking what I thought was outstanding in these books without understanding the true structure of their stories.
After college, I started branching out and gently testing the waters of fantasies, action series, classics, and even a few romantic comedies.
To be honest, it was a little scary to venture outside of my little comfy cocoon of Stephen King-like books after over ten years. I felt like I was in uncharted waters, but something told me that if I really wanted to write, I had to keep reading more than the same genre.
If I was to become a better writer, I had to read far and deep.
And you know what? This is true!
The more I read, the more I realize that every genre is different and has something to offer.
Not only that, every writer is different within the same genre. After I got more adventurous, I started spreading something I never thought I would be interested in – nonfiction books. And guess what? There are so many types of non-fiction books too. The more I read, the more I realize that there is still so much to read.
The possibilities are endless.
I started to wonder if I would ever reach everyone. Was there a secret somewhere to read them all?
Would I be less of a writer if I hadn't frantically read something and everything I can?
To be able to write, you have to read.
Over the years I've learned that in order to become a better writer, you need to be adventurous and purposeful in your reading choices at the same time. That may sound like a contradiction in terms, but believe me, it is not.
In fact, I've found that there are five types of books that will make you a better writer.
And I want to share these five guys with you today.
5 types of books every author should read
I mentioned earlier that writers love to read and that we always want to read. However, finding the right balance between living, writing, working, and reading can be difficult. Like readers who are not writers, we must be selective in choosing the types of books we want to read.
And in the back of our minds, especially when the books are outside of our favorite genre, we're also constantly thinking about how that choice will make us better writers too. Right?
Fortunately, I've found that there are five types of books that make me a better writer. When I think about which books I want to invest in reading, I wonder if they are one of them.
1. Writing craft books that focus on writing techniques
You may have heard at some point that writing is all about talent. That couldn't be more wrong.
Writing, like everything else, is a craft that can be learned and practiced. However, you don't need a degree to learn to write. You can do this by simply reading books that focus on the writing techniques, such as plot, character, sentence formation, short stories, and works.
As you read these books, look for examples and understand how they are used. Save your favorites for future reference and mark the pages of the techniques that you like best.
Find out which topics are the most difficult for you and find books about them. I know this is intimidating, but that's how we learn. The same topic presented by different authors may give you a new perspective. Hopefully this will help you overcome a writing technique that is difficult to master.
Here are some of my favorite things to do:
- Write great fiction Series by James Scott Bell, Ron Rozelle, Nancy Kress and Gloria Kempton
- Create short stories by Damon Knight
- It was the best sentence, it was the worst sentence until June Casagrande
- Save the cat! Writes a novel by Jessica Brody
2. Books that teach you what it's like to be a writer
This is a category that people don't think of often. These are books by writers who deal with the non-technical aspects of writing, such as: B. productivity techniques, publications, or more generally what it is like to live as a writer.
This is why writers should read these books because we can learn a lot from those who came before us!
Why should I want to know how other writers live? I didn't understand that myself when I first came across these books.
The fact is, however, that there is much to be learned from reading about the path that other writers have followed.
Did you know that even famous writers have the same motivational struggles? Or that most writers have day jobs and often wonder if their writing is worth it if it doesn't make any money? We're all different, but we're all the same whether we've made it or not.
We all have our responsibilities and priorities, but how we balance life and our writing lives has similar patterns and hurdles. Learning from those who came before us can help us avoid pitfalls, which will save us more time and motivate us to get back to what we love – writing!
From these books I learned that publishing isn't as glamorous as I dreamed of as a teenager.
I've learned that every writer who writes well has a pile of stories that no one has read.
I learned that Stephen King had pinned rejection letters on the wall with a pen. When the pile got too thick, he switched to a large spike and kept writing. These books will give you a glimpse into reality while also reminding you that every writer has problems. You are never alone
Some of my favorites what it's like to live as a writer are:
- Rotate pro by Steven Pressfield
- While writing by Stephen King
- Bird by bird by Anne Lamott
- Write down the bones by Natalie Goldberg
Maybe one day another favorite will be a book of yours!
3. Popular books to keep you posted
Let me finish
Popular books are popular for a reason, which means that books that sold well and stood the test of time are books that writers should read.
They don't necessarily have to be your favorite style or genre, but almost always a book is famous for a reason.
Maybe they appeal to a specific audience, or maybe they have a certain way of making people feel good. Maybe they bring a unique perspective. Perhaps they are indulging in some guilty pleasure.
For whatever reason, reading some books that are high on the list will almost always teach you something.
If nothing else, it gives you a glimpse into what is appealing to the general audience right now, and while we should never be writing a book that follows a trend, we can learn from the books that have captured the hearts of readers for years.
Here are some crowd-pleasers and classics to get you started:
- Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
- The da vinci code by Dan Brown
- Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov
- Kite runner by Khaled Hosseini
- Pride and prejudice by Jane Austen
- The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
4. Books in your genre (yes!)
Yes! One of the books authors should read is books in their genre!
Learning from others who did it before you will benefit you tremendously. By reading it, you can see what you like about the genre, what makes it unique, and what appeals to audiences who also enjoy reading such stories.
But you may be afraid of accidentally plagiarizing someone else.
What if you read so much of what others have written that you end up stealing their ideas without thinking?
If this is your fear, then I have good news for you – it is almost impossible to truly steal someone else's idea. Stories are the same story more often than not, but different, and you can tell a similar story but make it yours by changing the characters, plot, setting, and conflict.
There are many genres out there and I am sure that you already have some titles that are your favorites in the genre that you are writing that is popping up on your head. Even after reading it once, read it again.
Make a list of five books that you can read over and over again.
Just read them like a writer this time. Read them with a radar examining how the genre applies its tropes, patterns, and themes.
5. Books outside of your genre
There is one main reason for reading books outside of the genre you write. In fact, it's the same reason some books authors should read are outside of the genres they normally read – this will broaden their horizons.
Reading books you don't normally read pushes you out of your comfort zone and turns creative gears that you didn't know you had.
Do you write action Try reading a romance. It could help you develop that romantic subplot.
Do you write fantasy? Try science fiction. Perhaps this fantasy world could use some unique old world technology.
Here are some pretty unique books I've come across on my long journey of reading that may tickle you a little:
- Geek love by Katherine Dunn
- The paper menagerie by Kevin Liu
- Karate Chop by Dorthe Nors
- People I want to punch in the throat by Jen Mann
Just keep reading, just keep reading
I'll say it one last time: writers have to read.
There are also certain books that authors should read.
Exploring books in and out of your comfort zone not only makes you a better writer, but it can also help you discover a type of story you never knew you would love. And stories change lives. Maybe the life changing book is waiting for you to find it!
As writers, we all have something important to say, and how that is said is likely communicated in one of these five types of books shared in this post.
Becoming a better writer is a life of adventure, and reading is a huge, wonderful part of it.
However, if you have the time and are reluctant to read anything outside of your genre, this list of five types of books may give you the courage and understanding to try something new from time to time. Something else.
I'd love to learn the books that changed your writing career, and I'm curious to see if they fall into any of these five book categories.
Do you have some interesting books that you would like to recommend? let us know in the comments!
WORK OUT
Look at your bookshelf, virtual and real life. Do you see a pattern of similar books? Is it time to challenge your reading habits and read something else?
Even if you are a well-read writer, today's practice drill is about helping you find the next great book to use to expand your craft.
Pick one of the five types of books in this post that are the least visible on your bookshelf. Then spend ten minutes looking for a title you like in that book category. Take a look at the cover, read the back cover, and try out the first handful of sample pages. If it's a winner, buy it (think indie bookstores!).
Now spend the last five minutes of this fifteen minute exercise writing why you think this book will help you, and how you will try to take its lessons and apply them to your own writing. Make a promise to yourself to do it! You might even write that promise on a sticky note that stands out on your desk.
When you're done, don't forget to share your promise and reasoning (and book title!) In the comments. You may find other titles to add to your future reading list.
J. D. Edwin
