Would you go to a heart surgeon if he hadn't read anything in his field of practice since he got his license? Would open a store without first checking out how other businesses conduct that business first? Would you go to a dentist who was still using equipment 45 years old?
Now I need to ask you, when was the last time you read a book by another author who writes in your genre?
I like to write murder mysteries and plan on writing an historical fiction account of my Great-Grandfather, William Chalmers Hendricks. I also love to read these types of books. Even while writing my own books, I have been known to read anywhere from one to three books per week. I have read the Gingrich & Forstchen accounts of the Civil War. My favorite authors range from Iris Johansen to John Sanford to Vince Flynn to Tess Gerritsen to David Baldacci to Preston & Child to Jeffery Deaver and many others. I also like to read the novels of those writers who only have one or two books published. This is like reading a professional journal in my field. It lets me know if I am on track or straying away from a tight novel. I can see how others handle dialog, character development and scene development.
It is important to know what your competition is doing. If you don't do that homework, your business may fail. I go so far to see how they write their acknowledgements, their dedication and Prologues. This is great stuff we need to know as writers.
How well do you hold up? Who are your competitors?
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