I read quite a bit of nonfiction, mostly theology, spiritual autobiographies, and Catholic/Christian apologetics.

Obviously, if you want to write fiction, you need to read quite a bit of fiction. But more than that, you simply need to read.

Reading a breadth of things can really help you grow as a creative writer. Here are just some of the ways reading nonfiction can make you a better creative writer.

• RESEARCH. Reading nonfiction can definitely count as research. It will add to the knowledge base from which your ideas come and are formed. You can learn about life in periods before our own from biographies. You can delve into psychology and the intricacies of human nature. And that’s only the tipping point.
• VOCABULARY. Any of kind of reading, but especially older works, can help build an expansive vocabulary.
• STYLE, SENTENCE, PARAGRAPH, AND ARGUMENT STRUCTURE. One of my favorite writers is G.K. Chesteron, who did write a lot of great fiction. (Check out Fr. Brown! Do it now!). But his nonfiction, and he way he builds an argument in his nonfiction, really captivate me. He is the king of paradox–which definitely can be a tool or literary device for fiction.
• HOW TO THINK LOGICALLY. If you read anything of an academic bent, you’ll build skills that can help you find plot holes, figure out what doesn’t ring true, and recognize the kinds of questions that will arise in the minds of readers when you introduce this or that concept or plot point.

What do you think? Do you read a lot of nonfiction? How do you think nonfiction and fiction interact?