Reading fiction has often been associated as being unproductive to nonfiction because nonfiction is seen as the pinnacle of knowledge. After all, nonfiction is usually informative. Nonfiction gives us facts over, well, fiction.

However, there are a lot of benefits to fiction that are underrated.

Escapism

Fiction helps to relieve us of our day to day worries and let us go on a trip. Whether it’s to Narnia, Hogwarts, Neverland… it takes us to foreign places we can travel to at just the turn of a page. Some of the first books a child will read are often fiction, and why is that?

There are a plethora of reasons why. It’s enjoyable because our imagination can take us to places, meet people, or to conceptualize ideas far more wonderful than reality. It’s why after a long day of work or school, we turn on the tv and indulge in some Netflix or watch reruns of our favorite show.

Escapism is what we need sometimes. To decompress, to imagine, but most importantly to hear a story. Storytelling is what makes fiction so enticing. Us humans love a good story.

Empathy

Humans love stories because it gives us a chance to experience a different perspective than the one we know. It allows us to empathize with another person’s reality and lets us become more caring human beings because of it.

There’s a reason why as someone who has been a big reader, I have decided to create a blog entirely to talking about stories and reflections that have to do with relationships, life, and the human experience. Reading fiction has allowed myself to learn more about not only myself but about other people as well.

I implore you to read more fiction. Knowledge is great, don’t get me wrong. I am a huge supporter of learning and nonfiction works as well. But although nonfiction can teach us new information, fiction teaches us what it means to be human.