What’re your top three favorite genres? When was the last time you tried reading a book outside one of those three genres? When we find a reliable genre, one we keep coming back to for more books, we tend to get stuck there. But it’s important to try new genres. Subjects we don’t normally read, or even consider, can actually turn into favorite genres and help us develop a broader perspective.
New favorite genres and books
By reading the same genres and the same books, we might be missing out on a lot of great books out there. My favorite genre is fiction, but I don’t usually venture into the realm of science fiction. But if I never added some variety to my reading habits, I would’ve never discovered The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness. Which is one of my favorite science fiction young adult novels now. My husband was also happy that I decided to give his favorite genre a try, and I can see some of the reasons why he enjoys it so much!
Broader perspective and cheap travel
Everyone knows reading helps us strengthen our ability to empathize with others. But if we continually read the same kinds of stories in the same genre, we fall into a pattern of empathizing with the same kinds of characters. By branching out into a new genre, we increase that ability to empathize with new characters. Thereby strengthening our ability to empathize with new people. Not to mention, reading is a cheap way to travel! If you’re always traveling to the same place, it can get boring. Pick up a science fiction novel and you can travel to new planets!
Inspiration
The all-too-common reading slump can stem from a variety of reasons. One of which is reading the same subject over and over. By reaching out into a new genre, we can get out of the dreaded reading slump and read with a renewed vigor! Reading a new genre also provides us with inspiration to try new things. By reading Cheryl Strayed’s Wild, we might see hiking in a new light. Or by reading a memoir, we might be inspired to write down some of our own stories.
Genre is a meaningless word
While reading a new genre, you might find that books don’t often fall under just one category. A good horror story can also include a love story. A good thriller can also include some science fiction. You might find that your favorite genre isn’t contained to just one or two aisles in the book store, but actually three, four or even five aisles! Just because you dislike Young Adult Fantasy novels, don’t dismiss every book that falls under this category. There might just be one book in there that surprises you!
Greater knowledge
If we continually read books from the same genre, or even reread the same books again and again, it doesn’t do much to expand our knowledge. By picking up a different book, we give our brain something new to think about. You might find that a new story will stick with you for a lot longer than a book from your favorite genre.
If you’re determined to find a new book in a different genre, seek out a good recommendation. Find a section at the bookstore titled something like “If you like this, then try this…” If you’re into Romance, try something similar like Young Adult. Or try something completely different, like Horror. Even if you end up disliking the new book, at least you tried something new. So try something different! Even if it’s only a little bit different.
If you enjoyed this article, be sure to share it! You can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter. You might also like my article, 5 Reasons Why It’s Important to Set Aside Time to Read. It’s about why we should make time to read and how to do just that.
