4 Reasons Why Reading Fiction is Important for Writers
We, writers, know how important research is to present factual information to our readers. We want to back our statements with facts and figures to make sure our audience gets a clear picture.
As important research is to writing blog content, reading fiction is to a writer’s mind.
Before delving into the reasons fiction is important to writers, let’s catch up on the basics.
What is fiction?
An imaginary story that describes life events of people, places and it’s environment is fiction.
It could be a novel, novella or short stories. A story is categorized into one of these three based on the number of words written and how elaborately the story is said.
Difference between fiction and non-fiction
Non-fiction is based on life events or is a true story of people. It is factual and informational in nature.
Fiction is imaginary while non-fiction is the truth.
What is the purpose of fiction?
The purpose of fiction to a writer is to make people believe a better world is possible, to connect the people and to tell stories.
The purpose of reading fiction is to transport into another world and live with its characters. Avid readers love to live in worlds that are not within their reach, while some read to escape their reality.
Fiction can be translated into movies, stage plays and other forms of visual entertainment that involves storytelling.
Why fiction is important?
Humans connect with others by the stories they hear about them. Sharing and reading stories is an age-old love story. Fiction brings out stories that are imaginary, thereby transporting the reader into other worlds.
Fiction is important because a person gets to know about different parts of the world through stories. Fiction is both learning and entertainment.
Importance of reading fiction
Improves capacity to understand and relate
Since fiction speaks about other people, their lives, shortcomings, fears, culture, traditions, it improves the reader’s capacity to understand people. The similarities help reader relate to others regardless of geographical differences.
Respond better to people and social situations
Readers are at a better place to respond to others. They can handle social situations better as the readers are accustomed to imagining the lives of fictional characters.
Reduces stress
As per The Telegraph, reading can reduce stress by 68%. When readers are into a fiction book, their mind is taken off the worries. As a result, stress levels are reduced.
Increases lifespan
As per The US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, book readers experienced a 20% reduction in risk of mortality. When stress reduces, negative thoughts and feelings do not take hold of the reader. Thereby, reading fiction increases the lifespan of the readers.
When you read fiction, you experience the above mentioned benefits. This makes a better human and connects with others. Overall, it increases the capacity to understand people and be able to use words to relate with them personally through your writing.
How does fiction influence our lives?
Fiction makes us empathetic
Readers are able to relate with and understand people better. This in turn makes readers empathetic human beings. You can feel what the other person is going through, rather than being an onlooker.
Since you are able to connect better, you know what exactly is going to help them. So you create and write solutions for what they need.
World boundaries disappear
Fiction creates a world by explaining the people, their lives, events, situations, difficulties, culture, communication, lifestyle and everything that entails a usual day.
Fictional world is a place the readers are transported to, where they can see, hear, and feel what the characters feel. The proximity to the characters and understanding reduces the disparity and differences that the global boundaries create.
Stories can connect readers from varied parts of the planet earth to a place that the story is taking place.
It takes time for strangers to bond. This is due to lack of understanding of each other. When you are a reader, you spot the things people usually don’t notice. This is because you are habituated to reading the details of mundane life.
Final thoughts
Reading fiction helps you understand people better. The more books you read, the better you get at understanding people. It is crucial for a writer to be able to understand people to write for them and about them.
Make sure you take time to read daily and you’ll see the quality of your life and writing get better than it is. If you are up for reading today, type in ‘Yes’ in the comments below.
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