{"id":24744,"date":"2021-10-21T03:00:05","date_gmt":"2021-10-21T10:00:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/?p=24744"},"modified":"2021-10-21T10:05:47","modified_gmt":"2021-10-21T17:05:47","slug":"broaden-your-reading-to-better-your-writing-by-lisa-towles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2021\/10\/21\/broaden-your-reading-to-better-your-writing-by-lisa-towles\/","title":{"rendered":"Broaden Your Reading to Better Your Writing by Lisa Towles"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Broaden<\/a>Today we welcome a new guest writer to Writer\u2019s Fun Zone, Lisa Towles as she shares with us \u201cBroaden Your Reading to Better Your Writing.\u201d \u00a0Enjoy!<\/em><\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Not unlike the California climate, writers also go through dry spells.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

We\u2019ve all been <\/span>there<\/span><\/i>, where creativity feels out of reach and our in-progress stories have stalled.<\/span><\/p>\n

I write primarily mysteries\/thrillers and have for a long time<\/strong>. So it\u2019s probably no surprise that I also read the same genre.<\/span><\/p>\n

Part of that decision is pragmatic, to keep abreast of the economic demand<\/span> for thriller fiction and study what types of thrillers readers are hungry for right now.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s also a great way to understand the nuances of the different thriller subgenres<\/strong>\u2014legal, psychological, crime, spy, etc.<\/span><\/p>\n

Broaden Your Reading to Feed Your Passion<\/b><\/h2>\n

However, the other reason is less practical and more emotional: I have an unquenchable thirst for puzzles and the process of crime detection.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Map\"<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

I love the web of secrets that typically surrounds a crime and<\/strong>, because I\u2019m easily bored, I appreciate the breakneck speed at which crime thrillers progress.<\/span><\/p>\n

So the last time I found myself in a creative dry spell, I took a look at what I was reading and realized I\u2019d been feasting on the same fiction diet all year\u2014<\/span>Dark Matter <\/span><\/i>by Blake Crouch, <\/span>Chaos <\/span><\/i>by Patricia Cornwell, <\/span>The Eighth Sister<\/span><\/i> by Robert Dugoni, <\/span>The Witch Elm <\/span><\/i>by Tana French<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

And there\u2019s nothing wrong with reading what you love<\/strong>. But when inspiration is at a low point, mixing it up has its advantages.<\/span><\/p>\n

Broaden Your Reading to Break Out of Your Reading Rut<\/b><\/h2>\n

I think thriller writers (or any writers really) have rich knowledge to gain by reading outside the genres we write in.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If I’m reading a romance novel like <\/strong>In Five Years<\/span><\/i><\/a>\u00a0by Rebecca Serle<\/span> or <\/span>A Postcard from Paris<\/span><\/i><\/a>\u00a0by Alex Brown<\/span>, <\/span><\/i>or if I\u2019m reading historical fiction like <\/span>The Mirror and the Light<\/span><\/i><\/a>\u00a0by Hilary Mantel<\/span> or<\/span> Salt to the Sea<\/span><\/i><\/a>\u00a0by Ruta Sepetys, I find elements of those rich character stories that can also apply to thrillers, igniting new ideas for my work-in-progress.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And YA fantasy novels like <\/span>The Hazel Wood<\/span><\/i><\/a>\u00a0by Melissa Albert and the <\/span>Miss Peregrine\u2019s<\/span><\/i> series<\/span><\/a>\u00a0by Ransom Riggs give me the ultimate escape.<\/span><\/p>\n

And they remind me of the importance of imagination.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Reading<\/a>

Lisa Towles, age 2<\/p><\/div>\n

The Fussy Librarian<\/span><\/a> also likes the idea of mixing things up in our reading habits, citing advantages like expanding your vocabulary and broadening your perspective on the world.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Nonfiction books like<\/strong> <\/span>Aftershocks<\/span><\/i><\/a>\u00a0by Nadia Owusu<\/span>, <\/span><\/i>The Code Breaker<\/span><\/i><\/a>\u00a0by Walter Isaacson<\/span>, <\/span><\/i>or<\/span> The Sum of Us<\/span><\/i><\/a>\u00a0by Heather McGhee<\/span> remind me of the strength that comes from adversity and how much we can learn from one another.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

And from there, I\u2019m inspired to infuse my characters with that same fortitude and connectivity.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Stack<\/p>\n

I also find that reading in different age groups can boost my creativity.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

In my office, I keep a stack of the books I loved most as a child.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When I feel like I need to recapture some childhood magic<\/strong>, I might re-read <\/span>The Velveteen Rabbit<\/span><\/i><\/a>\u00a0by Margery Williams or a few chapters of <\/span>The Princess and the Goblin<\/span><\/i><\/a>\u00a0by George MacDonald and remember that there are many things that grownups can\u2019t see.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Lisa<\/a><\/p>\n

Broaden Your Reading to Get Inspired<\/b><\/h2>\n

You see, human drama comes in many different forms. <\/span>That<\/span><\/i>\u00a0is the common thread.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ultimately these stories and genres are about people<\/strong>, their desires, and the challenges that get in the way.<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve been coached by Beth Barany, and her <\/span>writing school<\/span><\/a> offers a wealth of resources that cultivate a healthy writing process, which helps us enjoy the journey.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Light<\/a><\/p>\n

Inspiration can come from lots of different places<\/strong>, and you never know what kind of book might spark the idea of a lifetime!<\/span><\/p>\n

Happy reading,
\n<\/span>Lisa<\/span><\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

ABOUT LISA TOWLES<\/b><\/h2>\n

\"Lisa<\/a>Lisa Towles is an award-winning, Bay Area, crime novelist. Her upcoming thriller, <\/span>Ninety-Five<\/span><\/i><\/a>, will be released by Indies United Publishing in November of 2021. Her last two thrillers, <\/span>The Unseen<\/span><\/i><\/a>\u00a0and <\/span>Choke<\/span><\/i><\/a>, each won two literary awards, and she has 4 additional mysteries published under Lisa Polisar. Learn more about Ninety-Five <\/span>here<\/a> and more about Lisa on her <\/span>website<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Social media links:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n