Reading fiction (fantasy or science fiction) novels opens up your mind. It allows us to leave our troubled, mundane world and experience another world for a while. We love it because reading fiction novels relieves our stress and helps us to grow as human beings in the process. And we are entertained in the process.
A Mental Break
Reading fiction is actually relaxing in that you can put aside your problems and observe someone else’s. It is a complete break from reality because it immerses a reader in an entirely different world with different rules and expectations. Whereas non-fiction is rooted in exploring and understanding our reality, fiction is about gaining that understanding through an entirely different reality. There is no pressure with fiction. It is a journey through a different life or time that can take you away on a much-needed break from your surroundings and problems.
Entertainment
Possibly the best thing about reading fiction is that it is enjoyable. We read fiction because it is a pleasant experience. It isn’t thought of as a chore or an obligation. There is no research involved. And the worlds of fiction are so outside of our own that the reader doesn’t have to feel compelled to learn from and analyze the text. The goal is simply to experience and enjoy.
Improved Relationships
The characters in fiction novels become our companions in a very real way. We relate to them; we cry when they experience tragedy; we rejoice when they succeed; and we learn from them. We can figuratively put ourselves in another’s shoes. Our heroes go through trials and either come out victorious or at least learn something in the process and are better for it. These characters become role models that give us more understanding about the conflicts in our own lives and empower us to grow. We can better relate to other people because we have essentially been practicing how to see things from different viewpoints as we read fiction. This then increases our ability to empathize and can help us to foster better relationships with others. Through experiencing fiction, you may actually gain a different perspective on your own life. Finding answers while relaxing and mentally getting away by enjoying a fantasy or science fiction novel is a situation where everyone wins.
Increased Resilience
Through experiencing fictional characters’ successes and failures, we come to realize that life is a series of trials and we will all get through them one way or another. It gives us a sense of power over the events in our lives. We come to terms with the fact that disaster may happen and we will just have to figure a way out of it. In reading fiction, we have seen characters that choose the wrong way. We have seen others that are brought down, but continue to persevere and come out on top at the end. Every character had some monumental problem to overcome in a story, whether that be internal or external, or both.
Often the conflicts the fictional characters face are things we would never encounter in our daily lives. Seeing our characters navigate those trials and issues makes us stronger. In experiencing their journeys, we become aware of how many different paths can be taken. We become better problem-solvers, having been exposed to so many more ways to solve a conflict and the possible consequences of our actions. Most fictional characters have human-like qualities, so we see a bit of ourselves in them. And if they could do it, then we can too. In this way, reading fiction promotes stronger, more resilient individuals that are more comfortable with uncertainty. Whatever comes along, we can handle it.
We love fiction because it improves our lives in so many ways while entertaining us in the process. Our relationships and mental strength benefit from a hobby that also makes us happy and less stressed. Reading fiction ultimately gives us more of a sense of power over our own lives.
