Award-winning, bestselling author Cara C. Putman has over 40 published titles in several different genres including legal thriller, romantic suspense, historical fiction, Amish fiction, and Christian romance. Before she switches gears between genres, Putman spends some time reading and researching books in the genre she plans to write. This provides her with valuable information about the elements, themes, and structure the readers of that genre expect. In fact, Putman reads well over 100 books a year across many genres!
This in-depth research shows her what works and why, and what doesn't work. She can then incorporate the elements into her story that appeal to her as a reader. Putman will go even deeper with some books and do a chapter by chapter analysis to understand the pacing and overall structure. These steps go a long way in making sure she is writing authentically for the genre and meeting reader expectations, especially when writing in a genre that is new to her.