📚 How to Write a Novel by Reading Like a Writer

Katrina De Milano
17 мая
2 мин. чтения

How Books Make You a Better Writer

“Behind every brilliant book is a silent mentor.”

If you want to become a better writer, the best place to start isn't at your desk — it’s on your bookshelf.

Reading in your genre is the most effective, enjoyable form of creative training. Whether you dream of writing fantasy, romance, thrillers, or young adult novels — you need to read what you want to write.

🎯 Reading Isn’t Optional — It’s Research (The Fun Kind)

When you dive into books similar to the one you want to create, you start learning almost by osmosis. You absorb:

What readers expect (in tone, structure, point of view)
What feels natural and emotionally engaging
What clichés or overused tropes to avoid
How pacing, dialogue, and character arcs are handled

📌 Example: If you’re writing YA fantasy, read five bestselling YA fantasies and notice the rhythm of the prose, how the first chapters hook you, and when twists typically appear.

✍️ How to Write a Novel by Reading Like a Writer

Reading for fun is great — but reading like a writer is transformational.

Try this next time:

Highlight sentences that make you pause. Ask: why does this work?
Notice chapter openings and endings — how are you being pulled in?
Track character introductions — how much is revealed and when?
Pay attention to your emotions — where do you feel tension, joy, sadness?

You’ll begin to recognize patterns and tools that you can use in your own writing.

🧰 Build a Creative Toolbox

By reading in your genre, you’re building a set of reference points — tools you can later use or intentionally break.

You’ll gather insight on:

Dialogue and voice
Tropes and how to subvert them
Plot structure and escalation
Worldbuilding techniques
Genre-specific pacing

Think of it like learning music: before composing your own melody, you study others.

🌍 Read Outside Your Genre, Too

While genre reading sharpens your instincts, cross-genre reading expands your style.

A mystery writer might learn character depth from literary fiction.
A sci-fi writer might discover intimacy through romance novels.
A fantasy writer might borrow suspense techniques from thrillers.

💡 Even the books you dislike teach you something — what not to do.

✅ Bottom Line

Read widely. Read intentionally.

And when you're done, don't just ask if you liked the book — ask why. That’s how you learn.

📚 Fill your shelves with the stories you wish you’d written — then start writing your own.

💬 Your Turn

What book in your genre taught you the most — and why?

Leave a comment or send me a message. Let’s build a writer’s bookshelf together.