When I first started writing, I was under the impression that one shouldn’t read books in the same genre as one was writing, in case you were to ’subconsciously’ copy another writers work. This is is far from the truth and very naive. Writers have to read everything! Voraciously too. The more you read, the better you will be able to write.
This is especially the case if you are writing for a specific genre. You need to know what current trends are for plot and character development and how authors are presenting their work in today’s market. One market that comes to mind is the romance novel. Try reading a current romance, say a Harlequin novel, then go to a garage sale and pick up a Harlequin novel from the 1980’s. You’d be surprised how the genre has changed and how open the writing is today. I also notice that the level of writing has improved and the standards of writing are so much better today.
How can you write a mystery thriller if you’ve never read one. Science fiction and fantasy are other genres that are so different from mainstream, that you’d need to read those books as well.
If you are writing for the children’s market, prepare to read books for all separate ages. This is especially true for picture books. You can get an idea also of what is being published, and current trends in children’s book publishing.
I discovered there is no need to worry about your subconscious. Usually when I read a book in order to study elements of the book, I become so engrossed in the novel, that I forget my main purpose for picking it up and just enjoy it. I am sure though my subconscious must be learning something from the exercise that will help me with my future manuscripts.
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