[Realism]

Just read any novel that you're interested in....don't worry about "beginner" Or "intermediate" difficulty or whatever.

Just read whatever you're interested in....I remember when I was just still "learning Japanese" and I said screw it these textbook are just straight up boring I have to read something more interesting. I just randomly bought a Japanese detective novel. It took me months to finish it. At first it was hard to even get through a page. But then as I progressed it just got easier and easier, and the only reason I read the entire book because the story is just really good. And eventually I finished the book, and my Japanese improved leaps and bounds.

You get better by reading the real/hard stuff....not the beginner stuff.