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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/32563
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

## First Hand Knowledge

One main reason to read in the genre you want to write something - say young adults - is because you want to understand through direct knowledge what it is about that style that readers like, hence I would read the most popular. This has multiple benefits:

- You get to find out where they can be improved. What is missing? Why do you think that could add more details
- You get to find out what makes them great. What do fans like about the story? What do they think makes these the best of the genre?
- At the worse case, you will find that you hate the genre.

I know some people are worried about polluting their ideas, but if you can answer two main questions: - How is my product different than some of the bigger names in the biz? - How is my product similar to some of the products in the biz?

I take as an example Digimon, which was pitched as a TV series rivaling Pokemon in the early 2000s. When the exec asked how it was different from Pokemon, the answer was _It's exactly the same thing, but our stuff is in a computer world_

I have no interest in writing young adult, my thing is Historical Fiction. By reading multiple authors with successful books, I have gained a few dos/don'ts and my own understanding of where they did not go far enough and when they become too specific. Chances are, if you enjoy a style and you read some, then you partake of something you enjoy...

Original score: 1