How Reading Fiction Will Make You A Better Writer

We’ve all heard the saying, “You are what you eat.” Well, as a writer, I think it’s important to remember that you are also what you read. 

This statement is backed up by hard science: the more fiction we take in be it novels or short stories the better we become at turning out quality fiction of our own. 

The amount of fiction that we consume is directly related to how good we are at crafting a compelling narrative, telling a story from start to finish, and creating realistic and believable characters.

Of course, there’s no substitute for sitting down and writing every single day. But when I’m not working on my projects, reading great fiction helps me sharpen my skills with the written word and come up with ideas for new stories without even trying. 

It improves my vocabulary, expands my knowledge base about different topics and cultures, helps me understand language better (including how to use dialogue effectively), and makes me a better observer of life in general. It even helps me relax!

So if you need some help getting into the habit of reading more fiction or want some fresh ideas for your next book or article project, this is the guide for you! Let’s get started!

How Reading Makes You a Better Writer – YouTube
Takeaways
1. Exposure to different writing styles enhances versatility.
2. Analyzing character development refines your own characters.
3. Observing narrative structures improves storytelling.
4. Reading fosters empathy, influencing character emotions.
5. Understanding diverse themes adds depth to your writing.

Learn How To Craft A Good Story

Reading fiction is an excellent way to learn the basics of storytelling, which you can then apply to your writing. A good story needs conflict and tension, a plot and structure, character development, and a theme.

But it also needs dialogue and not just any dialogue, but well-written dialogue that advances the story by revealing something about one or more characters as they interact with each other. There are some basic principles for writing effective dialogue:

Dialogue should reveal something about the characters who are talking (or thinking). This may be their intentions or motivations; 

It might simply be a line of thought they’ve been having but haven’t shared before now, or maybe they’ll reveal something surprising about themselves that wasn’t previously known. 

It’s all part of keeping things moving forward in your story so readers don’t get bored while still learning new things about these characters at every turn!

Be sure that each character speaks with his/her voice: Some people tend to use long sentences filled with lots of adjectives when explaining things clearly while others tend to use short sentences when being curtly blunt during tense moments these differences should reflect personalities realistically

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Master The Art Of Storytelling

Mastering the art of storytelling is an important skill. You can learn it, you can improve it, and you can even master it.

But first…

You have to know that good storytelling has many layers and that each layer deserves your attention. Consider these questions: Do your characters feel like real people? Do their actions make sense? 

Are they acting by their personalities? Is there a clear narrative arc throughout your story? If not, why not? 

Does every scene advance the plot (or at least further develop character)? Are there any scenes that could be cut out without affecting anything else? If so, why are they still there?

Doing this kind of critical analysis of your work is hard; doing it for someone else’s is harder still. 

The key to success here is a practice you need to develop a high level of self-awareness about what makes a good story tick before you can effectively analyze other people’s work for them to see if they’re telling one right now!

Improve Your Character-Building Skills

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a good story without solid characters. Whether they’re heroes, villains, or something in between, the characters you create will make or break your story. 

If you want to become a better writer, you must learn how to develop characters that are interesting and believable.

Here are some key ingredients for creating compelling characters:

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Make Them Unique 

No one likes reading about dull carbon copies of other people; this is where originality comes in handy! Give your character their quirks and mannerisms (like when they talk or act) that set them apart from everyone else around them. 

That way they’ll stand out as individuals rather than just being another face in the crowd…even if they happen to share certain traits with other people too 😉

Make Them Relatable 

The best kind of character is one who readers can connect with on some level, whether it’s because they’ve experienced similar situations themselves or because there might be something about how we perceive ourselves [that’s similar]. 

Either way, having relatable traits makes us more invested in what happens next (and hopefully keeps us turning pages).

Discover New Worlds, Cultures, And People

As you read and learn about new worlds, cultures, and people in fiction (or any other kind of reading), your mind is becoming more open to the possibility that there are other realities out there. 

You’re also building a library of reference points for when you get stuck on an idea or character: what do these people wear? What does this place look like? What’s their food like?

When it comes time to write your own story, whether it’s fiction or nonfiction, these reference points may come in handy if you get stuck somewhere along the way. 

Your brain will have already cataloged enough information about these new worlds and cultures so that when a character needs to eat breakfast at the inn near his home city’s castle gate.

For example, you’ll know what kind of food they would serve there without having had to spend hours researching medieval European breakfasts online.

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Educate Yourself On Different Topics

Reading fiction will help you learn about different topics. When we read, we can discover everything from new ideas and concepts to the history of different places and cultures. We learn how people speak, think, behave and react in certain situations. 

This is especially useful when it comes down to writing characters whose backgrounds are different from our own. 

If you’re writing a story set in another country or historical era, reading books that feature those settings will give you an idea of what life would be like for someone living there at that time.

Reading fiction also helps us understand foreign languages better because the way words are used varies depending on context and tone just as with any language! 

For example “La mia casa è grande.” (My house is big.) vs “Il mio gatto è piccolo.” (My cat is small.) Both sentences mean the same thing but notice how they use different words with very similar meanings? 

That’s what makes them so hard for us English speakers! It takes practice until we know instinctively which one sounds right for each situation (which means we’ll have more authentic dialogue).

Improve Your Knowledge Of The Language

You’ll also learn about the language by reading fiction. As you read, you can see how words and phrases are used to help the reader understand what’s going on in a scene. 

This kind of learning is called “close reading,” and it will improve your writing because it teaches you how to use language more effectively and persuasively.

To take your knowledge of grammar a step further, take a look at this list of eight common grammatical errors that writers make on [Grammarly](https://www.grammarly.com/).

Develop A Real Feel For The Rhythm Of Language

As a writer, you need to have a good grasp of the language. This doesn’t just mean that you know how to use words correctly; it means that you have a feel for the rhythm of language. 

The former is something you can learn from a book or by reading grammar books and taking online classes, but the latter comes from reading fiction.

When we read fiction, we absorb thousands of different types of sentences over many years. 

We start with short sentences when we are young children (“The cat was black”) and then move up through intermediate stages where our sentences become longer and more complex (for example: “The cat was sitting on top of an old chair at one end of our living room when all four kids came home from school). 

As we grow older still, our writing becomes even more sophisticated: We start using clauses instead of single words; we combine ideas using conjunctions; we vary sentence length so that some paragraphs are short while others are long, and so on!

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Get Ideas For Your Stories By Creating A Story Bank

As a writer, it’s important to keep a story bank. In this section, I’ll explain what exactly a story bank is and how you can use it to make your writing more interesting.

A story bank is simply a collection of ideas for stories and characters that have been collected over time. 

It might be just a few phrases or sentences on index cards that you write down when they come to mind (this kind of works like an “idea journal”), or if you’re feeling ambitious, it could be a file on your computer where you save longer notes about possible story elements and characters. 

Whatever form it takes, the key thing about having one is that it will allow you to capture all those half-formed ideas that pop into your head at random moments so they don’t get lost forever!

You can fill up your story bank with anything from very specific details about settings (e.g., what does the house look like?) to more general ones about themes or emotions (e.g., how would someone describe their childhood?). 

The great thing about filling up this resource with all these different bits of information is that eventually when one particular piece becomes relevant later in development may be an inspiration for dialogue? 

Or maybe as part of its structure? you’ll know exactly where to go back into its archives instead of having only vague memories of something entirely unrelated.”

Craft Better Dialogue

If you’re writing dialogue, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, make sure it isn’t too wordy. 

If your characters are talking about anything important (say, their motivations or backstory), that should be shown through action and description rather than long passages of dialogue.

Second, don’t write dialogue with only one voice speaking at a time. Characters should speak as themselves they shouldn’t all sound the same! Thirdly…

Become A Better Observer Of Life And Human Behavior

Reading fiction will help you become more observant of life and human behavior. You’ll be able to see the world through other people’s eyes, understand their motivations, know how they think and feel, and understand how they communicate with each other.

You can practice this by reading novels from different genres that show a variety of ways people interact with one another. For example:

A romance novel will teach you about romantic relationships and love triangles.

A thriller will teach you about villains and heroes who are pitted against each other in a battle for survival or justice.

A mystery book will teach you about sleuths who try to solve crimes by examining clues left behind at crime scenes to determine whodunnit before anyone else does so they can catch them in action while they still appear guilty (or innocent).

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Conclusion

Reading can transform our lives in so many ways. It improves our imagination, broadens our horizons, and deepens our understanding of the world. 

Reading fiction is one of the best ways to get all these benefits. So why not indulge your love of reading and help yourself become a better writer at the same time?

Further Reading

Explore these articles to deepen your understanding of how reading fiction can enhance your writing skills:

Does Reading More Make You a Better Writer?
Discover the connection between extensive reading and improved writing abilities. This article explores how immersing yourself in literature can have a positive impact on your writing style.

Why Reading Fiction is Important for Your Writing
Learn about the significance of reading fiction in shaping your writing voice and creativity. Uncover the ways in which exposure to diverse narratives can elevate your storytelling skills.

Reading to Make You a Better Writer
Delve into the world of reading as a tool for honing your writing craft. This article discusses how consuming various genres and styles can lead to improved writing techniques.

FAQs

Have questions about how reading fiction can enhance your writing? Here are some answers to common queries:

How does reading fiction contribute to better writing?

Reading fiction exposes writers to different writing styles, character development, and storytelling techniques. This exposure can inspire creativity and help writers refine their own craft.

Can reading fiction improve my vocabulary and language skills?

Yes, reading fiction introduces you to a diverse range of words and phrases, expanding your vocabulary. Exposure to well-crafted language can also enhance your writing’s eloquence and clarity.

What genres of fiction should I read to benefit my writing?

Exploring a variety of genres, from literary fiction to fantasy and romance, can offer insights into different narrative structures and character arcs. This diverse exposure can enrich your writing toolkit.

How does reading fiction help in understanding narrative pacing?

Reading fiction allows you to observe how authors handle pacing, tension, and suspense. Analyzing these aspects in different books can help you develop a deeper understanding of narrative flow.

Can reading fiction boost my creativity and imagination?

Absolutely, reading fiction stimulates your imagination by presenting unique scenarios, settings, and characters. This exposure encourages you to think outside the box and infuse creativity into your writing.