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So often, I hear people say, “I don’t read. It puts me to sleep,” or, “I don’t read because it’s boring.” As a writer, I try to be opened minded to such comments, especially when a part of me wants to take offense.
As a child,
who grew up in an abusive home, reading was my safe haven, a place where I
could immerse myself in different worlds and live exciting adventures. I was
the proverbial bookworm. Throughout the course of my career as a teacher of
children, young adults, and senior adults, those who were avid readers enjoyed
immersing themselves in the lives of fictional characters, their
triumphs, their tragedies, their joys and sorrows, all which contributed to
shaping a reader’s emotional intelligence.
In this article, I’m putting aside my writer’s hat and
donning my teacher’s hat. Bear with me. I promise not to bore you to tears.
It doesn’t
surprise me when those who grew up reading fiction have a knack for empathizing
with people. Readers have been practicing it for years, one book at a time by
laughing and crying with fictional characters.
As a
multi-published author, I can personally vouch for this. As child who devoured
fiction books when growing up, I found my writing skills evolving with every
page I turned.
The more I
read, the more I was exposed to different writing styles, narrative structures,
and evocative language. All these elements silently seeped into my own writing.
It’s like I had a constant tutor guiding me through the art of storytelling,
helping me paint vivid images with words.
I used to
tell my students that I had traveled through time and space. I loved the awed
expressions on their faces. As an example, I’ve never actually visited Africa.
However, I’ve traveled to the Dark continent in books such as Barbara
Kingsolver’s “The Poisonwood Bible,” “Tarzan and the Apes,” by Edgar Rice
Burroughs, “Out of Africa,” by Karen Blixen, and “The Snows of Kilimanjaro,” by
Earnest Hemingway.
My point
being, that when I wrote my Historical romance, “Taming the Lyon,” I had never
visited Africa, but the knowledge I had gained from reading such wonderful
fiction novels, that a reader from South Africa, contacted me, asking how long
had I lived in Africa because I had painted such beautiful scenes with my
words. Wow! What a great compliment.
Life is full
of twists and turns, much like a good fiction book. Readers who grew up
navigating their way through intricate plot lines and surprising story arcs
naturally develop sharp problem-solving skills. How, you say?
Because they’ve
witnessed characters facing dilemmas, making tough choices, and finding
innovative solutions to their problems. This constant exposure to
problem-solving scenarios in fiction can subconsciously train the reader’s mind
to think critically and creatively in the face of real-life challenges.
One of the
most noticeable strengths of people who grew up reading fiction is their
expansive vocabulary. Each book they read is like a treasure trove of words,
filled with unique phrases, colloquialisms, and expressive language.
I remember
as a child being engrossed in stories of magical lands, heroic quests, and
brave characters who always found a way to victory, no matter the odds. These
tales ingrained in me a sense of resilience and hope.
Reading a
book isn’t a task you can rush through. It requires focus, patience, and the
ability to drown out distractions. Those who grew up with their heads in books
have been unknowingly training their minds to concentrate and focus for
extended periods.
My mother
would call me, and I would answer, “Just a minute.” Of course, that minute oft
times got me into trouble because it equated into a half-hour or more. When in
the sixth grade, I had a copy of Walter Farley’s “The Black Stallion,” tucked
inside my geography book. I was so engrossed in the story that I hadn’t heard the teacher call on me to read. I nearly fell out of my desk when she touched me on the
shoulder to get my attention. Boy was my face red.
However, this
ability to concentrate isn’t just limited to reading. It translates into other
areas of life too, be it studying for an exam, working on a project, or even
listening attentively to a conversation.
And that’s
the magic of reading fiction. It doesn’t just transport you to different
worlds; it turns you into someone who constantly seeks to understand and
explore the world around you.
So, to those
who grew up reading fiction books and to those who still do – keep turning the
pages. Read to your children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, or to clients
in nursing homes. Who knows what wonderous worlds you will open for them. And
what could be more magical than that?
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