All readers, at some point, have experienced that exhilarating escape into a book so good that your mind and body are swept out of this world. Reading fiction can take you on a thrilling ride through make-believe worlds.

Image from Quotlr

As thrilling as literary escape feels, is it healthy?

That’s the question I’ve heard several people debate. When you consider the greatest minds of today and the most successful business people, they all seem to focus their attention on nonfiction works.

Is there any benefit to reading fiction?

I went down a research rabbit hole to answer that very question. Here is what I found about the benefits of reading fiction.

5 Benefits of Reading Fiction Books

Fiction books are essential to developing a healthy and empathetic society. Studies support the multiple benefits of fiction. Let’s look at several of those results:

1. Fiction Helps People Empathize with Others

Have you ever heard the phrase “walk a mile in another man’s shoes”? It refers to seeing a situation from someone else’s perspective before judging.

You can also refer to this idea as empathy. Empathy allows people to experience other people’s emotions. When you have empathy, you can make more inclusive decisions and consider other people’s fellings in addition to your own.

Reading fiction increases a person’s empathy. When you’re able to walk 30 chapters in a character’s shoes, you understand their perspectives. Then, when you meet people in real life who had similar experiences, you’re able to respond and support them more effectively because you had exposure to some of the thoughts and struggles they might be experiencing.

Image from Hooked to Books

One book that gave me a new perspective is JoJo Moyes’ Me Before You. While the book’s message is controversial, and you don’t need to agree with it, the picture it paints is vital. Moyes allows you to live a few chapters in the shoes of a quadriplegic. The book helps you experience his struggles to perform daily tasks and feel human.

After reading the book, I hope most readers come away with new empathy toward those living with disabilities. Maybe some will push for changes to accommodate various liabilities so life is a little more bearable for others.

2. Fiction Increases Social Awareness

Fiction books raise awareness of social issues in a way news articles can’t. While reading a news report on an event can inform you of part of an issue, it usually doesn’t have the power to effect change.

However, a well-written fictional novel does. It engages readers more than non-fictional stories, allowing readers to feel the situation more personally.

You don’t need to look much further than Harriet Beecher Stowe’s novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin. This novel changed the world because it allowed others to glimpse the brutal realities of slavery and develop enough empathy to push for change.

Image from Harriet Beecher Stowe Center

3. Reading Fiction Allows You to Have More Experiences

Several years ago, my husband and I wrote out bucket lists. We used a notebook for the list because we had so many experiences we wanted to add. My list included everything from learning to drive a stick shift to visiting all seven continents.

I can guarantee I won’t finish that list. I simply don’t have the time or money for most of those experiences. However, I can still have a taste of those experiences through a book.

Image from Hooked to Books

A study showed that reading causes a similar response as actually experiencing that situation yourself. For example, reading about a character eating will stimulate a similar response as if you were eating that food.

4. Fiction Increases Your Situational Awareness

Fiction improves people’s ability to read emotions. There is an online test where people need to guess what someone is feeling based on a picture. A study showed that people who read fiction had higher scores.

When you read fiction, you’re more in tune with other people’s emotions. Even people from different backgrounds or personalities than your own. This increased awareness helps you read others, which can, in turn, improve your social awareness.

At parties or other events, the fiction readers will be more aware of the overall feeling in the room and may also be the first to notice those who might not feel comfortable.

5. Fiction Improves Your Decision-Making

Several studies examined the connection between reading fiction and decision-making. Those who read fiction tended to keep a more open mind. The willingness to see ideas from other people’s perspectives again comes down to that increased empathy.

Those who read fiction also needed less closure in situations. When you read stories that slowly reveal information, you tend to be ok with holding out your final judgment until the end. That concept carries through to decision-making.

Instead of pushing for an immediate decision, you’re willing to consider multiple viewpoints and look at all the data before making a final, informed decision.

What Will Your Next Read Be?

Since science backs your fiction-reading obsession, go ahead and pick up your next novel guilt-free!

Keep following for more insights into reading, plus some great reading lists. Contact me if you have any content you would like to see.