The current generation of humans has often been dubbed as being born too late to explore the Earth and too early to explore the universe. And while that statement might be up for debate, do you know one place where there is no statute of limitation for exploration? A place where all you have to do is arrive and the world is yours for the taking?
I’m talking about books. And not just any book. A simple cookbook or a book of factual records might not allow for your mind to drift off enough and discover through your imagination.
I’m talking about literary fiction. The category filled with romance, Goth, horror, sci-fi, supernatural, mystery, thriller, comedy, and all sorts of things you can imagine. Literary fiction has given us books from the classics like Anna Karenina, The Great Gatsby, Wuthering Heights, and Frankenstein, to generation-defining books like Lord of the Rings, 1984, and Harry Potter, to name a few.
To put it simply, literary fiction is awesome. And not just because I’m a book lover projecting my thoughts out to the world. There are actual scientific studies out there that rave about the benefits of reading fiction.
But before we dive in, let’s establish clear distinction regarding what is fiction and what is non-fiction. Fiction entails categories of work like novels, plays, poetry, short stories, and parables. So basically, it consists of anything that is made up - for various purposes of gaining artistic and entertainment value. Non-fiction category can include any informative work that consists of theories, biographies, research papers, philosophical writings, and so on.
So now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s explore the benefits of fiction, shall we?
Boosts Creativity
One of the most important benefits of reading literary fiction is also one of the most obvious ones. It boosts creativity in all of its readers. Reading about various stories of the protagonists in their journey across the Earth, universe, or even time opens our mind to entirely new scenarios and alternate worlds established by the author. Especially in genres like sci-fi, supernatural, or dystopian future, we get to experience different things in strange places that make our minds run a hundred miles an hour.
Creativity Research Journal published a study about research among 100 participants in which they were assigned to read either an essay or a short story out of a selection of 8 for each category. After the reading, their need for cognitive closure was assessed. Now, cognitive closure has often been associated with decreased creativity and rationality. It can simply be understood as the need to arrive at definitive conclusions without ambiguity.
This study found that “participants in the short story condition experienced a significant decrease in the self-reported need for cognitive closure.” So, fiction readers had a less need for cognitive closure that could subsequently result in better information processing.
Acts as Reality Stimulus
Another benefit of reading fiction is that books act as reality stimulator and can make us more empathetic. A psychologist by the name of Raymond Mar analyzed 86 fMRI studies and found an overlap between brain networks that are used for understanding stories and the networks used for interaction with other people. He says,
“Scientists call this capacity of the brain to construct a map of other people’s intentions ‘theory of mind.’ Narratives offer a unique opportunity to engage this capacity, as we identify with characters’ longings and frustrations, guess at their hidden motives and track their encounters with friends and enemies, neighbors and lovers.”
Develops Social Skills
Books also help to navigate social lives through the characters and stories, as we tend to learn and reflect from them. Keith Oatley, a professor of cognitive psychology at University of Toronto, said to the New York Times,
“Just as computer simulations can help us get to grips with complex problems such as flying a plane or forecasting the weather, novels, stories and dramas can help us understand the complexities of social life.”
Reduces Stress
Now, I’m sure that for some of us, all this talk of scientific studies and benefits might be too much to accept without experiencing it for ourselves. Then, let’s talk about the benefits that we have felt at some point in our lives while reading books.
For example, I remember the first time I read Harry Potter. It was during my winter break when the thoughts of school and exams had been plaguing my mind. But as I sat down with the books, I found myself lost in a wonderful magical world full of things that reminded me of my childhood and innocence. And I felt myself relaxing after a long, long time.
I’m sure plenty of us have had similar experiences while reading fiction books. There is no better way for de-stressing than cozying up with a good novel.
Helps Tackle Real-life Conflicts
Novels, also, often touch up on social commentary and real-life conflicts through their stories. Be it the case of the stigma of mudbloods in Harry Potter, or the allegory of the Russian Revolution in Animal Farm by George Orwell. Books make us think in subtle yet impactful ways through the premise of the stories and characters.
And I could go on and on about countless other ways that fiction books are beneficial for our minds and our souls. But the truth is, you won’t really know until you know. So, the next time you decide to read a book, you could go for a non-fiction. Or you could experience everything we have discussed so far for yourself. Discover the joy of reading, getting lost in characters and stories, finding the gears in your mind turning as you try to guess what happens next in the story.
After all, a whole new world is just a book away.