It is a given that to perfect the art of writing, a writer must read each day. But in order to really learn the craft of writing, you must do more than just read. You have to get into the habit of reading with an analytical mind so you can spot the methods the author has used to create his or her work. The most effective way to do this is to avoid reading genres that we enjoy. So, if you enjoy reading science fiction, then turn to a romance novel and fans of fantasy can try reading a western. I know this sounds ruthless, but it's unavoidable I'm afraid. What you need to look for are the technical aspects of writing, the author has used. As you are reading, you need to ask yourself the following questions: 
What is the average sentence length?
 Does the sentence length vary a great deal?
 Does the author use much description when a new character is introduced?
Are you clear on the new character's personality, or not?
Do you like the way the author describes any action in the novel and why? 
Does the dialogue seem authentic and does it flow effortlessly?
Can you distinguish between one act closing and another beginning? 

Once you have completed your analysis, then you can return to your favorite genre and perform the same analysis. You will be surprised at the results you find. We, as writers, are so fortunate to live in a world of the internet, where research on any subject is at our fingertips. With so much information on the internet, an author can research any topic for their novel. For example, you can write about a detective determined to crush a drug cartel in Columbia, even if you have no experience of being a detective and have never been to South America. 

Now you are aware of how to analyze a piece of fiction, it is time to turn to some of your previous writing pieces and dissect them in the same way. The improvements you can make will astound you. These are some of the areas you need to look at: 
How many major characters does your novel have?
How many minor characters? 
Why does each character exist, do they need to be there?
Why does your protagonist hate/love the antagonist? 
What is your protagonist/antagonist's motivation and goal, and why?
Are those reasons clear and meaningful to the reader?
Are your descriptions adequate? 
How many pages does your novel have?
How many chapters?
Write down the opening sentence of each chapter? Does it engage you to read more? (Be honest)
How much dialogue do your characters have? 
Can this be shortened but still make the same point?
Could you justify the existence of every element in your novel?

Now try the same analysis on your favorite author. Can you see any areas of the novel you would improve, and why? Are there any areas that are not clear to you, why is this? 

Becoming a good author is not just tapping out words on your laptop. You must learn the technical whys and wherefores, just like any tradesman or artist. Once you become accustomed to your 'writing blueprint,' it will become a lot easier for you to plan your next novel because you are familiar with the structure you are going to use. The structure will remain the same, even if the characters and setting are different. Best of luck.