Fiction Can Wait
My wife often tells me I should pick up more fiction. I agree with her, but for some reason I’ve had an aversion to such literature most of my adult life. Admittedly, I do occasionally pick up a novel by Cormac McCarthy, J.R. Tolkien, or J.K. Rowling, but the thought of doing more of that will have to wait. Alas, I’m going to postpone any aspirations of strengthening my fiction-reading muscles, at least for three years. It will be non-fiction for me, at least for the foreseeable future.
But I must become a better reader.
If I’m honest, my history as a reader, note-taker, and writer could be summed up this way: I am the king of collecting quotes, memorizer of facts and trends, and party thrower for statistics. I love to acquire information, and I don’t always read to understand. Of course, these are two different goals.[1]
I am very comfortable regurgitating what others have written. I can be like molasses in forming my own opinions. Likewise, I’m even more hesitant to share those opinions publicly. My inner enneagram #5 constantly whispers in my ear, “If you say (or write) that, you’ll sound like you have no idea what you’re talking about. You’ll appear incompetent.” That is always a temptation I face when I write. I do think this has to do with a limited approach to how I read many books. Given what I want to do, I need to grow as a reader. I need to become an “active reader” who recognizes that “reading is a complex activity.”[2]
Regarding my abilities to read, take notes, and write essays, suffice it to say, I have SOME experience in a few areas, and I am light years away in others.
Adler’s explanation of “inspectional reading” was not entirely unfamiliar. Early in my career, I gained some experience as a paid researcher for a brief season of life, skimming through dissertations for an author as he researched a particular subject. I had to read quickly, spending no more than two hours on any dissertation. I had to outline each work and submit my findings in an extremely limited amount of time. I had dipped my toes in “inspectional reading.”[3]
My strengths, or lack there-of, in the art of note-taking depend on my interest in the author, the material, new information, or new-to-me ideas I find in the text. Where a book seems interesting, I’ll mark it up, but I need a better system for comprehension. I need a better system for note-taking. I want to do the hard work of forming my own conclusions, and better note-taking will play a part. I want to read and take notes with greater focus and with less interruption. I agree with the assertion Ahrens makes that it is possible to grow in our ability to focus “if we avoid multitasking, remove possible distractions and separate different kinds of tasks as much as possible so they will not interfere with each other.”[4] This will be a big goal for me as I work through the program. Even as I write this essay, I’ve been distracted by text messages and email.
Given the complexities of my NPO, it is incumbent upon me to approach the problem with greater humility. I recognize my tendency to think and see things in a way that benefits my self-interests, my “egocentric and sociocentric”[5] proclivities. As a student in this program, I hope to expand my capacity to think critically and solve problems. I hope to develop my skills as a reader, notetaker, and essay writer by becoming less distracted, reading to understand, writing with a more helpful voice, and embracing the rigor of this program and the structure it provides.
And eventually, I hope to read more fiction.
[1] “How to Read a Book: The Ultimate Guide by Mortimer Adler,” accessed January 12, 2023. https://fs.blog/how-to-read-a-book/
[2] Adler, Mortimer J. and Van Doren, Charles. 1972. How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading. Rev. ed. (New York: Simon & Schuster), 6.
[3] Adler, 17.
[4] Sönke Ahrens, How to Take Smart Notes: One Simple Technique to Boost Writing, Learning and Thinking, 2nd edition, revised and expanded edition (Hamburg, Germany: Sönke Ahrens, 2022), 58.
[5] Richard Paul and Linda Elder, The Miniature Guide to Critical Thinking Concepts and Tools (London, UK: Rowan & Littlefield, 2020), 11.
About the Author
Travis Vaughn
8 responses to “Fiction Can Wait”
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I can’t decide whether to title this reply “To each his own” or “In defense of fiction”.
I love reading fiction to the point of, opposite to your experience, I’ve read almost exclusively fiction for years. I know, I know, think of all the great leadership/spiritual development/whatever else books I’ve missed. I had my reasons, but I’m glad now to rise to the new challenge of reading more broadly.
But if I may briefly, defend the reading of a good novel. Researchers have shown that reading fiction increases empathy, both at the time of reading and even down the road (1). Many times I have seen and understood something of a human experience that I would never be able to enter into personally. A really good movie can do the same, but of course we’re talking about reading here.
I also wonder if any of you have had the experience where a novel you’re reading dovetails with a theme God has been revealing and teaching you in scripture. This happened to me (again) just last week. I was meditating on Psalm 105 and 107 and suddenly I was seeing some very direct parallels to the Midnight Library by Matt Haig.
That said, I’ve started reading one of the books you recommended to me, Travis. In three years, if you want some recommendations for fiction, just let me know.
1.) Hammond, Claudia. “Does Reading Fiction Make Us Better People?” Accessed January 13, 2023. https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190523-does-reading-fiction-make-us-better-people.
I may not be a huge fiction reader, but I resonate with the challenge you’re facing with your NPO, and the volume of other reading that MUST be done over the next three years.
Just today, I made a mental note to forgo all the reading that I normally do on a daily basis in order to FOCUS. Ugg.
Now, if I may ask you a question: how were you able to insert footnotes into your post? I’ve been researching it online and coming up empty. Love to get your hacks! 🙂
John, I typed up my essay in Word. When I was ready to post, I just cut and pasted it into the blog and everything seemed to work. Footnotes, included.
Thank you! I was expecting some kind of html voodoo, but that’s pretty simple. Appreciate it Travis.
I have amassed maybe 100 articles/books etc…for reading “till a later time.” But I was hesitant on how to plow through them all. I am going to use Ahrens “smart note taking” as the benchmark. Obsidian frightens me, but I am in the process to see if we are a relational fit! Shalom…Russ
As a fellow #5 I can empathize with your hesitation to weigh in on any given topic unless you feel like you have a full understanding (like we ever do!) on the subject matter. Knowing this, I will be curious to know when (or how) you determine ‘enough is enough’ as it relates to your bibliography, because we can’t get EVERY book on our particular subject matter…or can we?
Ps. I can’t relate to your aversion to fiction. After my Graduate degree I only read fiction for the next decade!
I am interested in your experience as a paid researcher, and the structured time that you had to intentionally survey a broad spectrum of information in service to your study. In Ahrens video (1), I heard in a new way the idea that better, more sophisticated thinking comes from this type of non-linear researching. Did you find this to be the case? When I think about research this way, it gives me a little more encouragement to allow for this process to be more open-ended.
1. Sönke Ahrens, How to Take Smart Notes. Accessed January 11, 2023. Vimeo. 49:33 min. https://vimeo.com/275530205.
Thanks Travis! I learn much from your writing. I encourage you to keep reading fiction books because sometimes we can grasp many meaningful lessons from there.
I’m looking forward to you sharing how you relate fiction and academic values. It must be interesting and awesome!