What Did They Read?

Last week I talked about reading recent books in my genre and targeted age range in order to understand what my audience is looking for. But I also read classic children’s novels or, more accurately, books read by children in former times. Writing for children didn’t become popular until the later part of the 19^th Century, so older girls often read novels written for women.

The protagonists in my historical fiction read a lot. I name actual books that were published in America before the year in which my novel is set, and I prefer ones that are still available today so that a reader can find a copy of the book if it piques her interest.

On the other hand, I try to avoid books that are likely to frustrate my readers. For example, Robin Hood is packed with the type of adventure boys like, but the original version is also filled with archaic language. The Elsie Dinsmore series was written for girls and was popular in its day, but the sermonizing is hard to take. But I wouldn’t know about those issues if I didn’t read the classics myself.

Reading the books my protagonists read also allows me to use them to move the story along. One of my protagonists reads Jane Eyre and decides to write her after-the-fact journal in the same style, giving me a believable reason for using that format. Another protagonist wants to do something her parents have forbidden, and a scene from Pride and Prejudice helps her come up with a successful argument. Again, I wouldn’t have known enough to use these devices unless I had already read Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice.

According to Stephen King, “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.” Reading anything is good.

But reading what your characters read is even better.

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Frank T. Merrill drew the picture at the head of this post for the original edition of Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. First published in 1868, the illustration is in the public domain because of its age.