Crappy Books Can Teach Us More Than Bestseller Can

While most writers devore best-selling books to find what tricks of the trade they can pick and apply to their stories to have them flying off the shelves, have their characters be just as relatable and so much more, there are also lessons to be learned in those books that fell short of the mark. 

Or better put as books that teach writers what not to do. 

This isn't to say that these are bad books. I have bought and read many books recommended to me by readers who would go to war for them - but I wouldn't give them even half a star. 

Books are subjective and what some readers will love others will hate and vice versa. 

Let's explore why these "bad" books still have as much to teach us - if not more than their best-selling counterparts. 

Success Through Failure 

When you read a bad book or a book you didn't like, it's not enough to just say that you didn't like it.

What about it didn't you like? 

Was the plot poorly executed? Were the characters shallow? Was the dialogue clunky or were parts of it just awkward and unrealistic? 

What mistakes and missteps can you take from that book to apply to your writing? 

If the characters were as one-sided as a bad relationship what can you do in your work to make sure your characters are as fleshed out as a piece of paper can get? 

"Crappy" books provide opportunities to reflect on things that can be improved. 

If there's a book that you read that you didn't like - well then you should have no problem with this next part. 

Mark It Up 

Take in hand a book that you found yourself dozing off through or having to force yourself through page by page and go to town with highlighters, pens, and even stickers if you wish, and find out exactly what turned the experience into a negative one. 

Were you bored when an entire chapter was dedicated to describing the park? Put a large X through it. Wasn't the character's necklace supposed to turn red when she was near vampires? Then why didn't it when she was next to the hot vampire exchange student? (Cuz plot) Choose a color to mark plot holes if there are any and anything else that didn't work for you.

Make your way back through the novel and find exactly about it that didn't work for you. On the opposite side, you can do this same practice when it comes to books that you love and would like to emulate.

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Don't dismiss "crappy" books as ones that have nothing to teach or that they hold no value. There are lessons to be learned from all types of writing, good and bad. 

Best of luck! 

With love, 

B. K. xo xo

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This story was originally posted on Medium.

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