So now
we’re onto step two of how to inject fun into your routine. I suspect you’ll be
pretty unsurprised that I’m a little partial to this next activity. Any guesses? Here’s a picture clue.
I
often read 2 or 3 books simultaneously. Usually there's one in my bag in case I
get a spare moment to read. Surreptitious reading moments feel so totally
decadent. Sometimes I accidentally-on-purpose
factor in early arrival time to tutoring venues just so I can sit in the car
for 10 minutes or so and read. I often
have 2 books in my bag because I might just finish the one that’s already
there. It’s always good to have a spare to hand.
There’s
also a book by my pillow because I’ve found they make the most magnificent
bedfellows. Sometimes I need to read a book because one of my students is
studying it for exams. It used to be they studied what are considered classics
and then I was covered as I’ve read a fair few of those. But these days other
books are creeping into the syllabus which means I’m constantly reading things
I would never have considered before.
A
couple of unexpected reads have been A
Monster Calls and Regeneration.
I’m a
staunch fiction supporter. I’ve tried non-fiction but find it too easy to set
aside. I love being drawn into the worlds fiction writers create. I find myself reading different genre for my different
moods. When I’m particularly melancholy about
the state of the world I always turn to Fantasy.
Other favourite genres are Magic Realism and Classics, particularly Austen, the Brontës and George Eliot.
Other favourite genres are Magic Realism and Classics, particularly Austen, the Brontës and George Eliot.
If you’re
reading this blog you’re already a reader and hardly need any encouragement to
keep going. But if reading is just a sporadic thing for you, then you may want
to look at all these benefits associated with regular reading:
- It reduces stress
- It improves memory
- It’s highly entertaining
- It increases knowledge
- It improves your imagination
- It broadens your understanding of the world
- It makes you a more interesting conversationalist
As a writer,
a massive benefit is that it informs me what I need to aim for if I want my
writing to emulate that of the writers I revere. Admittedly, sometimes I want
to sob uncontrollably because I doubt I could ever be that good. But more often
than not, it throws down the gauntlet and I can do nothing else but accept the challenge. Along with my regular writing group sessions,
it drives me to strive for better.
Another
benefit, particularly when I read Pratchett: I can guarantee I’ll laugh, not
once but several times in one sitting. I generally read on bus journeys and
regularly get some queer looks because of my tittering behind the pages of a
Pratchett. I’m not going to give you the scientific benefits of laughter. I think
they’re pretty obvious to one and all as they’re bound to mention words like serotonin
and endorphins. Let’s just say reading a funny book is like a private viewing of
a top comedian. What could be better?
If you
still need convincing after all that then there’s nothing more I can say. At any rate, time for me to head off and
indulge in the pure decadence of a bit more reading.
Happy
reading one and all!
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