A savvy author is more likely to be a successful author if they’re an expert not only on their subject, but also on the book publishing business. At Wise Ink, we tell every writer we meet to read books on writing, editing, and marketing.
Additionally, smart authorpreneurs know that to market your book, it’s also important to know what competition you have in your genre. By reading and familiarizing yourself with books similar to yours, you’ll be smarter when it comes to trends, what readers want, and how to distinguish yourself and your idea from what’s already out there.
But with all the time and work it takes to write, market, sell, connect, research, and learn about the business, it’s easy to forget one very important thing that will help you keep your writing the best it can be: read for fun, and that means OUTSIDE your genre!
Yes, read. Read for fun. Read something so engaging your eyes burn with the strain of keeping them open and you devour chapters faster than you every would have thought possible. Read something funny, something light, or just something that can help you escape from all that hard work you’re doing!
There are three BIG reasons why it’s imperative you keep reading recreationally while you work on your book:
1) Reading for fun reminds you that books are fun! Reading is fun! When you’re writing or editing and spending hours on a single sentence, it’s hard to see your manuscript as anything other than a problem child. You might also be in danger of losing sight of the finish product. By surrounding yourself with books that show you what your book is going to become, but are different enough you don’t stress out about the work your project needs, you can recharge your batteries and push to the end!
2) You’ve probably already noticed that it’s easy to get bogged down in the process of writing a book. If it becomes all you think about, it might actually take longer and be more difficult than it would be if you kept up a routine of interrupting work with distraction.
When he was stuck on a problem, Albert Einstein would take a break and do something completely different. Most of the time, by refusing to obsess, he allowed his subconscious to work out issues he wouldn’t have been able to solve otherwise.
3) By exploring beyond the genre you’re writing in, you open yourself up to new possibilities and new techniques. Romance writers use different tricks than sci-fi or non-fiction authors, and it’s possible you might figure out an innovative resolution to your main character’s conflict by taking some pointers from an entirely different type of author.
Remember, every book has the potential to teach you something, especially if they’re outside of your genre. If you take the time to figure out what that is, you can use what you learn to make your book the best it can be, and the process if writing it stress-free!
Readers, what type of book are you writing? What type of books do you read for fun?
