When was the last time you sat down and fully immersed yourself in a book? More and more students are reading less and less. These days it is all about TikTok trends or Netflix. If you're not reading regularly or at all, here are some reasons why you should and what exactly you're missing out on compared to your buddies who read!
Expand your knowledge of the world
The more you read, the more exposed you are to human experiences which are new to you. This will help you develop your empathy and understanding of the world. Relation to English? This will help you create more authentic characters with stronger voices. Your grasp of different cultures and historical events will improve which will allow you to write more believable stories.
Boost your creativity
Say goodbye to the cliché angsty teenager or exam horror stories that teachers hate. By reading more, you will be exposed to many different story plots and characters. This will boost your creativity and enable you to think up a lot more ideas when given the same stimulus compared to people who read less. The constant stimulation given when reading as you're trying to predict the plot and potential plot twists will help you strengthen your own storylines.
Up your writing skills
Along with greater exposure to human experiences, the more read, the more you will also be exposed to different writing styles. You will unconsciously filter out the good ones and adopt them. At the same time, your vocabulary and grammar will increase. Naturally, this will see an increase in your marks.
Improve your analytical skills
Working out the plot and spotting patterns in human behaviour require critical and analytical thinking. By regularly putting these skills to test, your analytical skills will improve. This will help you become more critical of your work and help you recognise whether your plots, characters or storyline are plausible and authentic!
Now you should know why you need to read more. Before you leave, make sure you have a Goodreads account and set a reading goal for the year. It is never too late to start reading. Especially now for Module C where the stimulus is unpredictable, it is essential for you to be able to think quickly and have a solid vocabulary and grammar foundation to support your piece. Reading is crucial and should be a constant in your life!