Hi friends! If you follow my blog, you know this post should have been up last week. Unfortunately, last week was terrible. I had three deadlines, two of which were completely unexpected. The last thing I could manage was to finalise this blog post, so I’m sorry. The good news is that today, I’m back with the second instalment of why reading shouldn’t only be fun for authors. Check out the first, with points one and two, here.

Why Reading Shouldn’t Only Be Fun For Authors

Three: It’ll help you realise what’s popular at the moment

I know that thinking about writing as a business is hard. You might not want to write something that is popular. The book of your heart might not be marketable or tropey. But the truth is, when publishers consider signing your book, they look at marketability and tropeyness. (It’s a word, okay.) If you’re self-publishing, you have to know who you’re catering to. Reading the latest releases will help you keep a pulse on what publishers and readers want. So don’t see it as sacrificing what you want to write, but as guiding you to what will give your book an edge. And with such a saturated romance market, edges increase the chances of your book being read. (Sorry!)

Four: It encourages you to grow

This is probably my favourite part about reading at the moment: growth. Every time I pick up an author’s book, I’m looking to learn. What are they doing well? Are there aspects here I can strengthen in my own writing? I’ve learnt incredible things from my fellow authors, and whenever I write, I try to incorporate those things in my own writing.

So, for example, I struggle with worldbuilding. My interest is more in dialogue and character building, so I’ll rush through settings so I can focus on the things I enjoy doing more. Then I read Lucy Parker’s London Celebrities series. I was transported to the West End of London, and realised how important worldbuilding truly is. I needed to describe the feeling of the place just as much as the details of it, and that pushed me into becoming a better author. Reading should – and will – help you to do the same.

Why do you think reading is important as an author? Let me know in the comments or on Twitter or Facebook!