For years I had read almost exclusively non-fiction. This year, though, I have started to read fiction and plan on reading many more fiction books than non-fiction. As some of my Twitter followers may have noticed, I started to read fiction. I read the first two books of The Hunger Games series relatively quickly, and have just started A Walk Across the Sun. There are many good reasons to read fiction books; below are three of them.
1) Information Overload
Whether it’s the 24/7 news cycle (and unlimited number of news sources), a work environment that demands an ever-increasing knowledge base, or the constant access to information through our phones, laptops, and tablets, everyone has become susceptible to information overload. Fiction books offer an alternative to a lot of the other entertainment options such as video games, movies, and tv shows, while still allowing us an escape from our constant information flow we experience throughout the rest of our day.
2) The Importance of Stories
A marketing professor once told me that the most important thing to do when it comes to interviewing is to learn to tell good stories. I love books that hold my attention and tell a great story, and oftentimes those “can’t set down” books are ones where the author tells an engaging story. If you ever have to write or tell stories, understanding what makes up a good story and being exposed to great storytellers can only benefit you.
3) Become a Better Writer
Writing is a skill that you will use in just about any job. Especially in a world where people are sending more emails than ever before and “excellent” written communication is showing up as a pre-requisite more and more often, reading can only help you become a more polished writer. While there is certainly room for reading non-fiction books, blogs, and news articles, reading fiction books or short stories can give you a break and allow you to be exposed to a different kind of writing from time-to-time (or on a daily basis, if you so choose).
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Since I started to read fiction I have found myself more likely to want to pick up a book than watching the television to “get away” from the day-to-day non-fiction reading that I still do on a daily basis. I will always love non-fiction – it’s the genre I write currently and the large majority of the writing of others that I consume – but I’m excited about reading author’s fictional works and see what stories they have come up with. The more I think about what it would take to write a great fictional work, the more I appreciate fictional books and stories.
Do you read fiction? What is your favorite fiction book or book series (mine is Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged)?
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Photos by Robert Couse-Baker
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Good post DC! I could not agree more with #2. Being in advertising, I can definitely say that having the ability to tell a good story goes a long way when you’re trying to communicate something. I actually need to do more reading myself as I simply do not take the time to do it.
@FrugalRules Thanks! It’s really tough to do with a busy schedule. I have been very proactive about it, or perhaps I just have been picking really good books that make me want to read them ;)
I can honestly say that I do not read enough books. I really need to sit down and do so though because I’m sure my Kindle misses me.
@SenseofCents Yeah it’s really, really difficult to fit into a busy schedule. I essentially just sleep less now, especailly when I’m reading a story that keeps me reading late into the night.
Greg reads a ton of fiction! He loves it.
@Holly at ClubThrifty I will have to get some recommendations from him.
I do tend to read more non fiction, but ever once in awhile I’m come across fiction that I really get into. I loved the Hunger Games series!
@Beachbudget I’m on to the third book now, they are amazing!
I love a good story and have been a reader of fiction for far longer than I care to admit! Science Fiction has always been a mainstay in reading diet. Lately though I’ve branched with Fantasy, Horror (King) and adventure filling in the reading gaps.
@wisedollar I definitely have some catching up to do from not reading fiction for years!
My favorite changes all the time. Sometimes I like really meaty, classic books like East of Eden, and right now I’m reading the Jack Reacher series because that’s all my feeble mind can take at the end of the day. I love fiction. It’s a nice escape from reality.
@Eyesonthedollar I have to agree, it’s a wonderful escape.
I’ve been reading ‘Cloud Atlas’ – what a story! The hardest part about reading fiction is making it a part of your schedule. If things get busy and you have to put the book down, it can be hard to pick it back up. I try to read at least one chapter before bed, getting eyes away from a screen is good for getting into a restful state!
@Jennifer Willard Yeah I try to read a bit before bed as well, though sometimes that results in me staying up WAY too late.
I have started Atlas shrugged last week, after a friend highly recommended it to me, so far so good! I read in English to improve my vocabulary and syntax.
@RFIndependence Very nice, it’s one beast of book but well worth the time. Really gets you thinking about things, too.
My wife loves to read fiction, but I am not a huge fan. I don’t read that many books and I am OK with that. I teach myself new things as a way to break from the norm.
@DebtRoundUp I used to not be a huge fan but recently I have really been enjoying it.
I enjoy reading, but it’s hard to find the time to do it as often as I’d like. The majority of books I read are either business or children’s books. I read a lot of Fancy Nancy and Splat the Cat in my house. :) I do agree that reading makes you a better writer. There is a lot of bad writing out there, so I hope when I read good books by good writers that I’m absorbing some of their technical skills by osmosis!
@TheHeavyPurse Haha same here, I definitely hope to gain some of their skills through reading their works.
I’m pretty sure reading Non fiction is just procrastination for me know. I know what I need to do, its time to pull up my socks and give it a whirl. No more NON FICTION for me. PS Hunger Games was stinkin’ addictive :)
@MoneyMasterMom I’m assuming you have a read a lot of “how to” books? ;) Go for it!
I wouldn’t say that I have read a huge number of non-fiction books, but I have read some. Years ago a friend gave me a paperback as a gift and I took it along when I went on a cruise by myself. It was like you said, one of those ones that I couldn’t put down. I found myself alone in my cabin late a night just reading and reading. Anderson Cooper once said that you know it is a good book if you feel like you have gotten to know the characters so well that you just want them to become a part of your life and you do not want the book to end.
@TacklingOurDebt Absolutely! Most recently I feel like that with the Hunger Games. I definitely am not looking forward to it ending, but at the same time I can’t put the book down.
I haven’t read as much as I should. Right now I’m making my way through the complete tales of Sherlock Holmes. As for my favorite, I would say “The Warrior Heir” it’s a young adult series but very well written.
I definitely read fiction to turn off the part of the mind that is always saying I need to be doing something. Fiction is a great way to just enjoy reading and get lost in the story. And The Hunger Games books are awesome.
I don’t read nearly as much fiction as I’d like (if only there were more hours in the day). I love Barbara Kingsolver and have read many of her novels. Prodigal Summer was the first of her books that I read when I was in college, and I haven’t stopped reading since.
I love fiction..but rarely have time for it.. But I totally agree.. It can be very rewarding to let yourself escape into a book every once in a while