Why we read? (7 Reasons, Reserved for Readers
and Writers)
Dr. Alex Iñiguez
Creative Entrepreneur / P&SR Manager / Consultor /
International Speaker
/ Inspirational Writer / Manager at P&B group
I have read a lot of articles talking about why we write:
our inspirations, our desires,
our motivations, our dreams, etc. I've even wrote a few
thoughts about that
in some of my posts (nothing brilliant by
the way).
However it's not so easy to read about the reasons of
reading.
Probably most writers are great readers as well, and may
be a lot of readers
would love to start writing some day. Do you agree? Are
you included in any of those groups?
Or are you a perfect mix of writer-reader?
Anyway I don't know why do you read. I just can tell
about why do I read.
And I read because:
1 - I've always seen my father reading.
As far as I can remember, my mother and specially my
father were great readers.
Our house were plenty of books, and my elder brother
became very soon a fierce reader as well.
So, surrounded by so many readers, I started reading
around them.
At the early beginning I preferred to read comics,
because I loved the mix of images and text,
but later I started connecting with the magic of reading
classic books with no pictures,
and my life changed forever.
2 - I wanted to become a better student.
My brother is the best and quickest reader I've ever met.
He can read, and UNDERSTAND,
and MEMORIZE, any written thing in a record time. He's
amazing!
He was brilliant at school, and he made it look
effortless. Later I realized that it was easier for him because his habit of
reading: he was able to understand teachers in a deeper way than average;
he could remember the key concepts during the class
without distractions;
and by the way he loved, and still loves, writing.
I have always been behind him in age (one year younger)
and school marks... but now
I'm aware that he was my biggest motivation to strive to
study, learn and read. Thanks Tete!
3 - I improve my language skills while reading.
Every time I read something I use to learn some new words
that enriches my vocabulary.
Especially when I'm reading in a foreign language, like
English,
it helps me a lot to improve my language skills:
vocabulary, grammar, etc.
Simultaneously I'm improving my communication skills:
written and oral communication.
I mean that the better vocabulary and language skills I
have, the better writer and speaker I'll be. Because if I have a huge
vocabulary and plenty of resources,
then I'll be able to immediately find the right word in the
right moment
(and I beg your pardon because it's not the case here
when I write in English).
All my previous reading during the last 40 years has
helped me a lot when I have been talking
in front of an audience, as well as when I have had to
write some kind of article.
It helped me both with vocabulary and style. All this
background actually made the difference.
4 - When I read I boost my creativity and my imagination.
We all know a lot of examples of movies based on books,
right? In general,
which do you prefer? I prefer books. And of course to
read the book before watching the film.
This way I can imagine in my own way how the characters
look like, and I'm not conditioned
to see Kirk Douglas' or Peter O'Toole's face each time I
think about Spartacus or Lawrence of Arabia.
When I read a novel I'm free to imagine a lot of details
and a lot of points of view.
I mean that I can imagine the same situation from very
different angles,
just like a movie director does when filming one scene
with more than one camera.
So, to me, when I have a book in my hands I feel like the
director of my own film,
and I have the power to select the details based on the
storyboard.
I hope you understand this analogy, and why I believe
that reading helps
to increase creativity and imagination.
5 - I learn a lot of things while reading.
I'm not only talking about novels and comics. When I read
any non-fiction written material
my knowledge increases exponentially. For example, during
the last 27 years
I have been reading medical texts, because Medicine is a
profession that changes every day
and you need to be updated about new pathologies and
treatments.
Little by little, reading a bit day after day, you will
finally get an impressive scientific background.
And this example applies for almost every different
matter you can read: technology, economy,
art, laws, etc.
Even with some fiction books, like history novels, you
can learn a lot of data about the people,
the events, the customs, and the religious beliefs of a
certain population during a particular period
of time. In fact, I believe that you can learn a lot of
things from any book you read.
6 - I can forget the everyday worries while reading.
We all need to have some private time to switch off from
the daily grind,
and we have different ways to get it. If we stay at home,
let me please simplify until two options:
watch TV or read. If I watch at the
news channel on TV may be the same that reading a newspaper:
I will not disconnect from the "real" world.
However if I choose to read a novel or watch a movie,
likely I will change my
mental focus more easily. So, what is better? Book or movie?
Honestly I don't know. I love to read and I love cinema
as well. But I believe that reading you
need to make an extra effort to imagine and create the
situation, as I wrote above in #4,
and I believe that watching a movie your brain is also
working but in a less exigent way.
This is why I prefer to read because, in my humble
opinion based in my own experience,
it works better to actually relax and unplug my
worries.
7 - I want my children to grow up reading.
Just like I grew up surrounded by books and readers, I
want to be the mirror for them
to become good readers in the future. I believe that a
good library and the habit of reading
is one of the best legacies I can leave to my daughters.
Only books are not enough if they don't see their parents
reading, so I try to read in front of them, and read their books with them as
well. It's a simple, cheap and fun way to spend quality time
with my children and to educate them at the same time.
And I love both things.
Well, these are my seven reasons to read.
Do you want to share with us your reasons? (because if
you are reading this, then you are a reader!)
All comments will be very welcome. THANKS A LOT FOR
READING.
This article is dedicated to the great reader and writer
Mr. Harley King,
who inspired me to write it. Thanks Harley!
----------------------------------------------------
**Author's Note** Any issues with any or all content used
in this post,
should be directed to the author
(alexiniguezwriter@gmail.com).
Alex is a proud member and Group Manager of Publishers
& Bloggers LinkedIn group.
Copyright@AlexIñiguez2014
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/article/20141208182426-33495396-why-we-read-7-reasons-reserved-for-readers-and-writers?trk=object-title
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Advanced Reading Skills Perhaps you’d like to join my FaceBook group ?
Perhaps
you’d like to check out my sister blogs:
www.innermindworking.blogspot.com gives many ways
for you to work with the stresses of life
www.ourinnerminds.blogspot.com which takes
advantage of the experience and expertise of others.
www.happyartaccidents.blogspot.com
just for fun.
To
quote the Dr Seuss himself, “The more that you read, the more things you will
know.
The
more that you learn; the more places you'll go.”
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