Gaining Knowledge through Literature for Academic Purposes
Diving into research for writing is a thrilling part of the creative process, whether you're exploring new genres or delving deeper into familiar territory. It's always exhilarating to discover a fabulous novel that captures my heart – it's happened more times than I can count!
Building a Genre Foundation
To shine in a specific genre, you need to familiarize yourself with essential building blocks. Get a grasp of elements like tone, recurring tropes, unique story arcs, defining characteristics, and more. Acquiring a solid understanding of these aspects is crucial as you embark on planning and drafting your masterpiece.
Connecting with the Audience
A treat of genre reading research is that you get to learn about your prospective readers. To write a successful piece, you must understand what the audience craves and know what crosses their line. Writing to an audience can be an effective way to succeed as an author, and reading the fiction as much as you can helps you get comfy with their preferences.
Peek at What's Already Out There
You'll definitely want to be aware of what's currently brewing in your genre. This is related to the first point; however, I'm breaking it down for a specific reason. Think of how you can outdo what's been done or venture into something unprecedented. This is my favorite part of the process. I relish brainstorming the hits and misses in a genre and mulling over what could make things more exciting or innovative.
Check Out Iconic Books
When picking a book for research purposes, opt for works considered classics or icons in your genre. These will give you a gist of what works well.
Read New Releases
Staying updated with fresh releases in a genre is a brilliant way to get a pulse on what traditional publishers and self-publishers are accepting these days. This will help you understand what's selling and what audiences are currently seeking.
Ask for Suggestions
Request recommendations for books similar to the one you'd like to write. This is an efficient approach to separate the wheat from the chaff in the genre you want to tackle and zero in on high-quality reads.
Read Broadly Within the Genre
As much as you can, try to cover a wide spectrum in the genre. I'm not saying you need to devour everything ever written – just aim for variation in themes, characterization, race, gender, and more. A wide breadth of reading will help you be a well-rounded writer when it's time to start planning and drafting your own work.
Read Critically
Admittedly, it's effortless to get swept up in a fantastic story, but remember to read critically. Look for patterns, elements that didn't work, and formulate strategies for improvement (or omission). It might be a trope you can put a creative spin on, a particular arc that ends in a specific way, or something you can twist – make a list of things to help your story stand out from what you've read.
Never hesitate to toss a book aside if you hate it! I do this frequently. Dump it if you don't like it, and note down what caused you to abandon it – avoid making those missteps in your own story.
"Every story out there has already been told." Yes, but they haven't been told by you. Give yourself the freedom to write something unique and amazing – from your heart. Comparing your work to others is a surefire way to crush your spirits. Resist comparing yourself to authors more experienced than you – carry on, do your best, and what comes next will come. You're destined to be your own kind of fantastic – stay true to that, rather than following someone else's footsteps.
What's a book you read for research that you absolutely adored? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
- Engaging with diverse story arcs in various books across the genre can provide valuable insights into what entertains readers and help in creating unique and captivating plots for my own stories.
- Building a foundation on essential elements of the genre, such as unique story arcs, by reading books and critically analyzing them, is essential in creating an engaging and entertaining masterpiece that resonates with audiences.
