Read and then read some more. That is fantasy author Matthew Ballard's recommendation for new writers who are planning to write genre fiction. He strongly recommends reading what is currently selling in the genre in which you plan to write. Ask yourself what is drawing readers to those books and what story elements stand out and why. Ballard is switching gears with his latest book project from fantasy to sci-fi and while these two genres share many similarities, he has done a lot of reading and research to make sure he is honoring the elements that are important to sci-fi readers. He also advises writers to write about what they want to read themselves. Not drawn to a particular genre or only care about strong sales? Look at what genres are being undeserved on Amazon. When using reading as a research tool the idea is not to copy, he says, but to identify the impactful elements and then incorporate them into your own work.
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