I am a creature of habit. That’s especially true when it comes to reading. I have my favorite authors, my go-to’s whose books I will always automatically pre-order. And I have my favorite genres. For decades, my default genre was contemporary romance. The interesting characters and their relationships with others is one of my favorite things about the romance genre. I’m also a sucker for the happily-ever-after, so I enjoy that sense of satisfaction at the end of each book. But over recent years, I’ve pushed myself to try reading different genres. Challenging myself to read outside of my favorite genre has surprised and blessed me in so many ways, especially on my own writing journey.
Going out on a limb, I started reading biblical fiction several years ago when a contemporary romance author I enjoyed sang the praises of a writer friend’s debut novel. The story focused on the Hebrews’ flight from Egypt from the book of Exodus. Slogging through some of the Old Testament has often been a challenge for me. But this story grabbed ahold of me and would not let go. I found myself opening my bible up while reading the novel to check details. I’ve since gone on to read numerous biblical fiction books, and the way the stories breathe life into the Old Testament for me has given me a greater appreciation for and fresh eyes for reading my bible.
After discovering my love of biblical fiction, I decided to give historical fiction a go. Writers of historical fiction astound me with the extensive research they must conduct to ensure they get the historic details right. I am in awe of the way these authors deftly weave details into their stories so it doesn’t sound like regurgitation of facts but instead enhances their stories, bringing them to life. I have mad respect for authors of both biblical and historical fiction and their ability to do this. It makes me want to practice my craft and improve incorporating details and all of the five senses in my own writing to enrich each scene and help readers feel like they are right in the middle of it.
Early in our marriage, my mother-in-law gifted my husband a spy thriller story of international intrigue for his birthday that I picked up one day. A complete 180 from my usual type of book, I think I tore through the suspenseful novel in maybe two days. I proceeded to devour every single book by the master storyteller behind that story and now pre-order his new novel each year. The suspense/thriller genre is fantastic for inspiration on pacing, plot, and conflict. These books compel me to turn page after page, and the twists and turns keep me guessing until the very end. It makes me want to try harder when I’m brainstorming and plotting my own future stories.
As I continued trying different types of books, I realized I even learn about writing fiction from reading nonfiction, a definite departure from my usual genre. Reading a memoir, biography, or autobiography tends to make me introspective. By the end of one of these I’d like to think I’ve learned something from the subject’s journey or mistakes. There’s something encouraging about learning from someone else’s mistake before making the same one yourself. I’ve discovered reading these creative nonfiction books give me a greater sense of empathy towards others and a broader understanding of the world and different cultures and people. I believe it also helps me with character development. Reading about real people, their greatest hopes, deepest fears, and their struggles and how they weathered them give me greater insight into the human condition, and hopefully I can instill some of these attributes in my own fictional characters to make them more realistic and relatable.
My most recent deviation reading outside of my favorite genre was exploring YA fantasy. I have never really read fantasy or young adult, but I stumbled upon a highly recommended series while looking for ideas for my avid reader 13-year-old daughter. I was blown away by the author’s imagination. The world building and rich characters challenged me in several ways. The author created vivid, detailed settings that were key to the story and the characters. I have to confess that I consider myself a practical person and have always avoided fantasy books under the assumption they were probably a little weird and I wouldn’t find them interesting because they were unrealistic. But the magic of reading a book like that reminded me of younger times when I used my imagination more freely and embraced awe and wonder. I quickly devoured all three books in the series and recommended them to my daughter.
Besides “write, write, write,” the advice most solicited to writers is to “read, read, read.” While my first love will probably always be the contemporary romance genre, I don’t think I’ll ever stop trying new genres. I have been encouraged by how each time I step outside of my reading comfort zone, it blesses me not only as a reader, but also as a writer. I believe each author I read has something to teach me and look forward to learning what that is with each book.
What about you? Do you have a favorite genre? What is it and why? Have you tried a new genre recently? How was that experience – and did you learn anything?