Before You Write, Read—Yes, Seriously

Here’s one of the most honest pieces of writing advice you’ll ever get:
Before you write a single word of your book, read.

Yes, read.

It sounds obvious, but too many aspiring authors skip this step or treat it like homework. It’s not. Reading is training. It’s how you build your writer's instinct, your taste, your internal compass for what works—and what doesn’t.

Read Like a Writer

Don’t just skim. Read like a writer. Ask questions as you go:

• What hooked me in this opening?

• How did this author build suspense?

• Why did I care about this character?

• Where did I lose interest—and why?

Every book you read teaches you something. The good ones inspire you. The not-so-good ones show you what to avoid.

Read Within Your Genre

If you want to write fantasy, read fantasy. If you want to write mystery, read mystery. Not just the classics—read a mix of styles, tones, and voices.

Before I wrote Mystery in Madurai, I read eight books in the genre. That’s not a brag—it’s a requirement. I wanted to understand the pacing, the red herrings, how clues were dropped, how detectives thought, and how tension was managed. Every book added to my toolkit.

By the time I started writing, I wasn’t guessing—I was building on what I’d absorbed.

Learn What You Like—and What Readers Can Tolerate

Reading helps you find your own rhythm. For me, I learned something small but crucial: keep descriptions to three lines or less. That’s it. Most readers just don’t have the patience for long-winded scenery dumps. You want to paint a picture—but fast. Hook them with feeling, not foliage.

That habit—limiting descriptions—came from reading, not writing. I saw where I skimmed in other books, and I adjusted accordingly.

Reading Is Writing in Disguise

Reading doesn’t delay your writing. It prepares you for it.

You wouldn't try to cook without tasting food. You wouldn’t try to compose music without listening to it first. So why write a novel without reading dozens?

Reading gives you voice. Vision. Vocabulary. It shows you structure, pacing, dialogue, conflict, payoff. It whispers, “You could do this—but in your own way.”

Final Thought: Read to Respect the Craft

Writing is not magic. It’s a craft. And every craft begins with study.

So if you're staring at a blank page wondering where to start—close the doc, pick up a book in your genre, and read. Let someone else’s story show you the way. Let their words fill your well.

Then, when you're ready—write.

But write with the strength of every book you've read behind you.

---

For more advice from the trenches of writing and revision, follow Literary Lens—your guide to writing real stories, one page at a time.