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IWSG: a place where writers and friends share woes or hugs. Welcome to mine!
Writers have a genre preference in story-creating but is it the same for those downtime moments when they reach for something to read? Welcome to the question of the month!
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Whenever I read fiction, it's typically the genre I love to write about and that's romance! It captures my heart every time! There are those rare moments I am up for the challenge to write outside of my genre like I had with IWSG's Anthology Contest on Dark Matter (it is sci-fi and I didn't include romance).
I mainly read romance because I find it inspiring! It fuels my muse and every dull moment, though I rarely come across those in a day.
I once had a friend tell me that writers must be avid readers of all sorts of books. I digress; I have been writing for over thirty years and have not felt the need to read horror. I am, however, open to trying genres outside of my comfort zone, but the elements of the book (plot, setting, and characters) must speak to me before I give the book a try.
How about you? Do you only read what you write? Do you believe that all writers must read everything under the sun?
Thanks to this month's co-hosts: Sarah - The Faux Fountain Pen Jacqui Murray, Chemist Ken, Victoria Marie Lees, Natalie Aguirre, and JQ Rose!
I have a hard time reading horror, which is strange because I remember in grade school that was all I wanted. Ghost stories, Goosebumps, Stephen King. But now I am not sure I would be able to finish one!
ReplyDeleteRight? xD
DeleteI think variety is good but you don't have to read everything. I read outside my genre of science fiction but things like horror and westerns don't interest me.
ReplyDeleteAnd your story for the IWSG anthology still had a touch of romance to it...
You read my story? x) I didn't realize it had a bit of romance...
DeleteI like there to be romance in the stories I read, but I prefer when the book is in another genre, like fantasy, contemporary, murder mystery, etc. I read in a lot of genres these days, because I enjoy so many different ones. And it may expand my horizons in my writing too.
ReplyDeleteOh, that would be wonderful!
DeleteAs a fellow romance author, I confess to having read EVERYTHING else first before falling in love with Happily Ever Afters. I've written few books where romance is the only element. I like to sprinkle in suspense, paranormal and action/adventure just to make it more fun to write. My regret is now having never enough time to read all the books on my Kindle!
ReplyDeleteOh, yes! I do enjoy other genres with romance it it. It's so exciting.
DeleteI agree on wanting more time to read all those books as well!
I agree that the book should speak to you before giving it a try. I'll read pretty much any genre if it sounds interesting.
ReplyDeleteThat's wonderful!
DeleteI don't think you have to read everything, but I do think you should give things a try. Even read bad books sometimes! You can learn from a lot of different places!
ReplyDeleteThat's a great idea--even reading bad books is a wonderful teaching moment. Thank you!
DeleteLOL about horror. I feel the same way. Romance gives us hope that humankind will continue. Everything I write has some romance in it, even my middle grade sci-fi adventure, though it's just a hint.
ReplyDeleteThat is so sweet to have even a hint of romance in younger audiences. I love it!
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