reading habits

So, here is my little tidbit of wisdom for the day…

Read.

That’s it. Read every day if you can. You should mostly read books that fall in the genre you write in, but you can branch out and read other things, too. Reading a good romance novel could help you with romantic scenes in your paranormal thriller. Reading a contemporary middle grade novel could help you capture the essence of a child in your adult science-fiction novel. Reading good novels can also help you hone your craft by seeing what works and what doesn’t.

I write what I enjoy reading, so most of my favorite books fall in MG/YA fantasy, but I read adult adventure, mythology, and historical romance too. Mythology has a large influence on my work, especially the structure of the monomyth (which I’ll get into later). A lot of what I write is inspired by what fascinates me. I love the idea of the Persians, ancient India, Norse culture, and the legend of Atlantis. These things inspire me to no end, so I try to find books on these subjects.

So find time to read every day, even if it is only for an hour. You can learn from everything you read, and you can apply it to your writing.