How Reading Across Genres Improves Your Writing
There are good writers in every genre, don’t miss out by sticking to one genre.
As a child, I was addicted to reading comics, it was all I could think of. But with age, my interests grew and I started reading other fiction and non-fictional novels. Gradually developing interests in other genres too. All this helped me grow in the person I am today.
Giving up the habit of reading one particular genre was the best decision of my youth.
Reading for me has evolved from a source of entertainment to a medium that adds value to my life.
But not everyone is a fan of reading across genres.
I get it.
Reading across genres requires you to leave your comfort zone and dive in territories unknown. The idea of leaving one’s comfort zone scares many. But how do you make your writing stand out from the rest? How do you plan to evolve as a writer?
I have been writing for a decade now and believe me when I say that you cannot be a good writer without being a good reader. And that you cannot be a good reader if you keep reading the same kind of material. I am speaking from my experience that you learn a lot by reading across genres.
Taking inspiration from other writers
Whenever you read any book or article you also learn from it. Any prolific reader will agree with me. And over time these learnings help you in improving your writing.
I don’t have any degree in writing, but that never stopped me from learning, the desire to excel was always there. I read a lot of books, articles, and blogs, these have helped me learn from people whom I have never met. People who have mastered and excelled in their respective fields. I learned from their writings be it poems, fiction, self-help or horror stories.
I made a habit of reading to learn instead of just a source of pleasure. Reading became my addiction and my source of learning.
I wanted to thrive as a writer and reading a wide variety of material helped me fulfill my dreams. It also helped me get clarity on my writing style.
I had a natural talent for creating stories. However, it was not until I started reading stories of other writers that I understood how to use my storytelling abilities to create good writing material.
You see there are good writers in every genre, you are missing out if you choose to stick in just one lane.
Reading across genres widens your taste
Exploring different genres for reading is like exploring different varieties of food.
Let me elaborate: everyone has their favorite dish but if you keep eating it every day you will eventually get bored of it. You may even start disliking it. The worst part, you are missing out on other variety of dishes out there. Getting my point?
Reading across genres helps you widen your taste for stories. It will help you appreciate the diversity of literature and how you can learn from each one of them. The more you read the more you learn and the more you improve your skills along the way. This brings to the most important point of how reading across genres strengthens your creativity.
Reading across genres improves your creativity
Writing is all about creativity and imagination. The more diverse and creative your writing is, the more your readers will appreciate your work.
Reading strengthens your imagination power.
When you read, you create your own version of the story in your mind. Different styles of writing will give you more stories to think about, areas of life that you never knew even existed.
As a kid, I was hooked on reading comics books and I would always daydream about a world full of superheroes(which was fun). But there was so much more to read than just comic books. If I continued reading comics throughout my adult life I would have never grown, ignorant of all the knowledge existing in the world.
Every medium story I publish is a result of reading habits which isn’t limited to one particular genre.
Your creativity will improve when you start exposing yourself to different genres. The more you read the more your imagination improves.
Reading across genres gives you the ability to see your own writing with a different angle. When you start gathering information from different sources, you will notice the uniqueness of your writing style.
Once you have acquired new skills by stepping out of your familiar grounds, you’ll gain a new perspective on how to improve your work.
Writers often complain that they cannot find topics to write about. Well, try reading books, articles from a genre that you haven’t tried before. You will be amazed by the benefits of it.
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