How Reading Different Genres Makes You a Better Writer
reading across genres can unlock new techniques, expand your voice, and give your stories the depth they’ve been missing
Every writer has heard the timeless rule: if you want to be a good writer, you must first be an avid reader. While I’m not sure there’s a scientifically proven “ratio” of books read to writing quality, one truth remains: great writing only exists from a foundation of reading. The more you immerse yourself in the written word, the more your own voice, rhythm, and craft begin to sharpen.
Just as universally known is the vast landscape of genres to choose from, and each comes with its own expectations, its own loyal audience, and its own unique way of communicating truth, emotion, and experience. Personally, I’m an avid thriller writer, and it’s also my genre of choice when reading for pleasure. There’s something exhilarating about the pacing, the tension, and the ability to uncover the mystery before ever reading it on the page that keeps me hooked from beginning to end. But over time, I’ve learned that to truly become a great writer, one must read widely and extend beyond the tools of their preferred genre.
Each genre is like a specialized field, a distinct niche with its own mastery. Romance excels at character depth and emotional nuance. Thrillers dominate in structure and pacing. Memoirs capture truth and vulnerability. When you step outside your usual reading lane, you gain new perspectives and tools to bring back to your own writing. Below is my breakdown of how the different genres can strengthen your writing craft.
Romance – Character Development
If you’ve ever read a great romance novel, you know that these writers are masters at creating characters that readers become emotionally invested in. They come to life on the page as people who feel real, flawed, and relatable. Romance novels pay meticulous attention to human detail, like lingering glances, awkward pauses, and inner monologues that reveal insecurities and desires. These moments of vulnerability transform characters into being memorable and three-dimensional. If your own characters ever feel flat or your readers struggle to connect with them, take notes from the best romance authors. Observe how they reveal emotion through subtle gestures and internal thought, and how every line of dialogue builds intimacy or tension. Reading romance has taught me that emotional depth and authentic connection amongst characters are just as crucial in a thriller as they are in a love story.
Recommendations: Authors Emily Henry and Carley Fortune
Fiction – Voice
“Fiction” is such a broad umbrella that it almost feels unfair to call it a single genre. But here is where you will find a variety of voices. Reading widely within fiction exposes you to an array of perspectives, dialects, and cultural backgrounds. You encounter characters who differ in age, nationality, ethnicity, and worldview. One moment you are reading from the perspective of a teenage girl moving to a new city, and the next you are in the throes of war following a middle-aged man. This diversity forces you, as a writer, to think beyond your own experiences and develop a richer, more flexible narrative voice.
The rhythm of sentences, the word choices, and the narrative distance all shape how readers experience a world. For any writer, discovering your voice is a lifelong process, and reading fiction is the perfect low-stakes way to see how other authors have played around with voice and make notes of what might work in your own narrative.
Recommendations: Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler and All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
Thriller – Plot and Pacing
The thriller genre is a clinic in structure. Every page is designed to propel the reader forward, weaving tension through each chapter and every twist. The genre thrives on meticulous plotting, from carefully planting clues on page two to proposing theories for the reader to consider, to delivering a satisfying and unpredictable payoff.
As a thriller writer myself, I’m constantly in awe of how the best authors in this genre introduce tension. Whether it’s a speculative sentence dropped off at the end of a chapter, or a plot twist I never saw coming, they understand exactly when to raise the stakes, when to offer a moment of relief, and when to hit the reader with a revelation. A great thriller is a symphony of pacing and tension. Every page feels like a puzzle piece snapping into place. Even if you don’t write thrillers, studying their structure can dramatically improve your storytelling because momentum and tension are how every writer gets a reader to the end of their book.
Recommendation: The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn
Memoir – Truth
Memoirs occupy a special place between fact and narrative art. A good memoir reveals truth through not only events, but also through reflection and vulnerability. It shows how ordinary people survive extraordinary circumstances, and how life itself can be both mundane and profound.
Reading memoirs helps writers learn how to convey authenticity. The best memoirists are brutally honest, unafraid to expose their flaws or failures. Even if you write fiction, memoirs are invaluable teachers of truth, and how to draw from other people’s real experiences to make your fictional world feel real.
Recommendations: When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi and My Next Breath by Jeremy Renner
Self-Help – Stakes and Motivations
Finally, there’s the often-overlooked self-help genre. While some may dismiss it as overly prescriptive, I find self-help books fascinating because they explore what drives human behavior. They dissect motivation, fear, ambition, and change, which are all crucial elements in creating a character that moves about a narrative realistically.
This genre translates psychological and social phenomena into practical insights about why we do what we do. For writers, this knowledge is gold. Understanding real human motivation helps you create believable stakes in your stories. When you know why a person makes a choice, whether noble or self-destructive, you can craft characters whose actions feel inevitable yet surprising.
Recommendation: Malcolm Gladwell
Every page you read, in any genre, is another step toward mastering your craft. Romance teaches empathy and character depth. Fiction expands your voice. Thrillers sharpen your plotting. Memoirs strengthen your authenticity. Self-help clarifies human motivation.
If you want to become a more versatile and confident writer, explore the genres that intimidate you. The best writers are lifelong students of storytelling in all its forms and are always eager to learn what makes a book work. At the end of the day, every book you read adds another tool to your writer’s toolbox. Expand it to include tools from different specializations to take your writing to the next level.