Photo by César Viteri on Unsplash
I once described my reading as “omnivorous.” A colleague gently corrected me. “I think you mean ‘voracious,’” she said.
“Well, I’m that, too,” I replied. “I do read a lot. But I meant that I like to read a lot of different kinds of books.”
I recently finished an MFA in Writing at Vermont College of Fine Arts. In addition to turning in a considerable amount of creative writing regularly, students in the program are expected to read a minimum of ten books per month, annotating them and writing essays analyzing the craft techniques employed. My graduate school experience validated my feeling that reading widely is important, especially for writers.
We live in a world of specialization. Your dermatologist can’t help you with your shin splints, and your calculus professor likely won’t correct your phrasing on that Chopin etude you’re practicing. Niches and brands abound, and while it’s valuable to have access to depth of knowledge, breadth is important too.
I like to write for all ages, from picture books through adult fiction. But even if I focused on only one thing — young adult science fiction, for example — I’d still read books in other genres. Exposure to other styles, vocabularies, experiences, and points of view will only enhance my own.
Now that I’m out of graduate school and don’t have deadlines every few weeks, I’ve set up my own challenge designed to ensure I’m reading widely. Every month, I’m reading at least one book in each of the following categories or genres (I will happily combine categories if a book satisfies more than one):
Classics I haven’t read before
Middle Grade
Young Adult
Something written by a person of color
Something written by an LGBTQIAP+ person
Something originally written in a language other than English
Non-fiction (biography, memoir, history, play, essay or poetry collections)
Whatever my book group has chosen for the month
Speculative fiction (fantasy, sci-fi, slipstream, magical realism, horror)
Historical fiction
Since 2007, I’ve kept a yearly list of the novel-length books I’ve finished, always aiming to read at least 100. I haven’t always made my goal, but I’ve never read fewer than 70, even when I had tiny babies and exhausting toddlers. The most I’ve ever read in a year is 130. (I don’t keep track of picture books, because that would be impossible.) Reading happens when you make time for it. Audiobooks count!
If you find yourself wondering what to read, consider constructing your own challenge tailored to your interests and needs. BookRiot has a great annual Read Harder Challenge. WhatshouldIreadnext.com features a cool algorithm that makes suggestions based on the book you just finished. Or look up a book you love on Amazon and follow an endless rabbit hole of recommendations.
Eating a variety of foods is important for physical health, and I believe consuming a variety of books on a regular basis is good for your brain. Stephen King believes that if you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time or the tools to write, and I agree. Branch out, and get reading!