10+ Ways to Find Inspiration for Writing: Reading Books Outside Your Comfort Zone

10+ Ways to Find Inspiration for Writing: Reading Books Outside Your Comfort Zone

Most of us only like to read books that we are interested in. Whether it's a novel or a self-help book or something altogether completely different. But not many of us want to read a book that is outside of our comfort zone. A book that we wouldn't normally, ordinarily read. But in fact, by doing so, by reading those books you wouldn't usually read, there is a lot of benefit in that for you for coming up with inspiration for writing or for being a freelance writer or even a book author and here we'll talk about why that is!

Reading Books Outside Your Comfort Zone

So why should you read books outside of your comfort zone if you are looking for writing inspiration and what does it mean by books outside of your comfort zone anyway? Think about the kind of books you usually like to read. Then think about whether those books challenge you in any way at all. The chances are, you like to read books that don't challenge you right? Well that's natural! That's normal! Nobody really likes to read a book that challenges their reading skills!

But in actual fact, if you want to better your writing skills, and find writing inspiration, reading books outside of your comfort zone is one of the best ways to learn how to do that! For when you do that, you'll learn about words and about ways in writing that you never knew before! And that can improve, better and further your reading and writing skills even more!

Now I'm not saying to go and find any old book, although that can help. I'm not saying to go and pick up a copy of War and Peace, but again, reading that book would help too. In fact, reading any book at all can improve and better your reading and writing skills! We learn by doing and when it comes to reading and writing the same rule applies, we learn by reading and writing.

So when you read a book you wouldn't normally read, you'll be learning new words, you'll be learning new linguistics, new ways of saying things. You'll be adding to your vocabulary. And when you do that, you take that on board with you which can help you when it comes to writing your own book! And especially if and when you're looking for writing inspiration!

And one of the best things you can do as a writer that's looking for writing inspiration is to check out books that you wouldn't normally read, books that are outside of your comfort zone. You'll be challenging yourself where your normal, usual books that you read don't challenge you. And if you're not challenging yourself like this, you'll never really improve your writing skills!

So go to the library, visit a section you've never visited before, look at some old books that are well and truly outside of your comfort zone and take them out and start reading them. Sure, it might not be a riveting story about dragons and elves! But it would likely challenge your reading and writing skills and from just reading it, you will surely find inspiration too!

Well this is just a quick one to go over the benefits to reading books outside your comfort zone. I just wanted to touch on this because a lot of people only ever read books they're comfortable reading and while that is good, it's never really going to challenge you and as said, if you're not challenging yourself, you're not really going to improve your reading and writing skills.

The 5 Benefits to Reading Books Outside Your Comfort Zone

• They can help you to improve your reading and writing skills.
  
• They will challenge the way you read and write and help improve your reading/writing skills.
  
• They can be great resources for coming up with writing inspiration.
  
• They will increase your vocabulary with words that aren't hardly used anymore.
  
• You'll learn things you never thought you'd learn through old ways of writing.
  

Do you like to occasionally read books outside of your comfort zone?

If so, do you find that it helps improve your reading and writing skills (vocabulary)

What books outside your comfort zone have you read in the past?