4 Reasons Why You Should Read Different Genres

You love reading. You know what you like. Totally fine! I’m not here to tell you to stop reading the books you love; I’m here to tell you to mix it up a bit. If you love thrillers, grab a contemporary. Need your romance? Read one in YA. Expanding your reading can help broaden your mind. Reading different genres can help you fall in love with something new.

Why should you read different genres?

Reading different genres can be scary. What if you don’t like it? Great! Then you find something you don’t like AND you find out why you don’t. What if you read something totally different though AND you fall in love with it? Trying new things is part of finding a lovely life and in this case a lovely book too.

I think we get too comfortable in our reading space. We find something we like and we stay there. Sometimes we find an author we love and that’s all we end up reading for years. This is okay. I love finding things I love to read! They become a part of you. Reading should make you feel comfortable, but it should also make you feel uncomfortable. That’s where the growth comes in.

I hope you’re reading for a reason. Maybe you’re just trying to get more reading done, period. Maybe you read to relax. These are all great reasons. One of the basic reasons we read is to learn. That’s why we were taught to read, right? Well, I say we keep learning. Switching up your genres will help you do that. Here’s my advice on how to start reading different genres and where to start.

1) Expand the genre you love

Let’s say you’re really into cozy mysteries. Have you read a recent thriller? How about finding a BIPOC author in that category? Expanding within the genre you love can help you discover new books but also new authors. If romance is your thing, try reading a YA romance. If you love historical fiction, maybe switch up WWII and go for something more 1980s. You can slide the scale and switch it up that way, you’ll still be time traveling. I know this doesn’t technically get you out of the genre you’re reading, but some of us need small doses of change and that’s okay. One step at a time, right?

2) Try something completely new

Something that can help rotate new books into your regularly scheduled programming is to join a book club. Not only will you discover a new book; you also get to talk about it with other people. Try and find a book club that reads books you don’t usually gravitate towards. If you don’t get it or don’t like the book, other perspectives will make you want to reread and rediscover. Luckily, we got your back here. Check out our Find A Lovely Book Club and join our monthly discussions on Instagram.

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3) Switch to Non-Fiction

The easiest way to start reading different genres is to flip the switch. If you usually read fiction, switch to non-fiction. If you usually read non-fiction, read some fiction. You don’t have to switch your entire reading schedule around, just start incorporating one into the mix. If you dare, read one of each…at the same time. SHOCKER. How do you read more than one book at once? Let me help you with that.

Non-fiction shouldn’t be intimidating. It’s the best teacher. I like reading non-fiction because I like to learn. Reading should make you curious. Change your mindset, learn about a topic or current event, maybe even do a little research for a project you’re working on. The best part about switching over to this genre is that you feel immediate growth after picking it up.

4) Help your writing process

If you’re a writer (like me), reading should come second nature. It should actually be part of your writing routine. If your current manuscript is a contemporary YA focused on social issues, read a romance novel. If your script is horror, read a contemporary drama. A genre can teach you a lot. It can influence your writing. Read different genres so that you’re not copying another voice. Reading something different can help spark your own voice.