Need a reason to read more? Here’s one: Research says that reading fiction makes you more creative and more open-minded. So if you want to impress your friends and family and make the world a more compassionate place, read on!
Reading fiction allows readers to be more creative and exercise better judgment, claim scientists
- A new study by University of Toronto scholars and lead researcher professor Maja Djikic, found that reading fiction, even if it’s only a short story, were less rigid in their thinking and more comfortable with uncertainty.
- Regular readers also appeared to be more creative thinkers and less prone to snap judgements.
- The study suggested reading literary fiction is a way to become more open-minded.
Reading fiction, especially literary fiction, the researchers say, helps readers to become more insightful and expand their perspectives. Confucius said something similar:
No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time for reading, or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance.
And, in the words of George R. R. Martin, author of the best-selling epic fantasy series that the HBO series Game of Thrones is based on:
A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.
In other words, reading fiction–especially literary fiction–makes you more creative and a better citizen of the world. In fact, it may be the secret to happiness. At least it is for me. What about you? What will you be reading this weekend? xo
Susan Gabriel is an acclaimed southern author of literary fiction who lives in the mountains of Western North Carolina. Her novels, The Secret Sense of Wildflower (a Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2012) and Temple Secrets (2015) are Amazon and Nook #1 bestsellers.
I’ve long believed this. Good fiction, anyway. Fiction that isn’t on the par with bad guy with fangs, good damsel gets bidden. You want to read a mind that’s sharper than many a trial lawyer’s, read Deborah Eisenberg’s non-fiction arguments.
It makes sense to me, too, John. You are so right. My problem is finding good literary fiction with strong women characters in it. I guess that’s why my life’s work is to write it!
FWIW, someone recommended “We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves” to me for that very reason, but I was very disappointed in it. Good intentions, mediocre writer to me.
I don’t know if you’d consider Welsey Shaw a strong woman character. I think we’re all strong and all weak at the same time, and so is she. And so are all the men in the story. I don’t think I treat men any differently than women in my fiction, but who knows?
Your website is looking sharp. Mine’s getting long in the tooth. I should to an overhaul–something I dread.
I agree, John. I think we’re all weak and strong at the same time, too. My main characters are flawed, but still strong in one way or another, and somehow they manage to persevere. It is hard for me to find literary fiction that I really enjoy, so I write the books I’d like to read. Thankfully, more and more readers are enjoying them, too.
Thanks for the feedback on my website. 🙂
I agree with you Susan, one must read. I also agree, finding strong women characters is hard. I feel as you we are all flawed, weak or strong; to me that is what makes any character interesting…
May we ALL be interesting characters, Rachealgrace. 🙂