Reading Boring Writing is No Fun At All

By: Ebonye Gussine Wilkins

As you all know, I love to read. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t know how to read. I love sharing reading with everyone I know. Even my toddler has bunch of board books that she refers to constantly. It’s the best way to keep her occupied in a car! But sometime reading is no fun at all (yes, I said it).

I hate reading textbooks. They are rarely interesting (though I still love that sensation and perception book that taught me about nocioreceptorsl Thank you Dr. Yantis!). However, most of the time, reading non-fiction is just not fun. It’s dry, and while it gives you plenty of information, it’s so much harder to read. I love reading that makes you feel something! If it’s a book about finding joy, then I want to be happy. If it is a book about racism, then I want to feel angry. If it is a book about self-acceptance, then I want to feel empowered. I don’t want to just sit there and read. Reading should bring excitement to a reader, not boredom.

I love the idea of writing creative non-fiction because it is a great way to make writing interesting. Using the power of literary tools (alliteration, extended metaphors, iambic pentameter, puns, foreshadowing, all the things!) to enhance non-fiction is a great way to tell a compelling story. Perhaps not everything needs to be a story, but people generally remember stories much better than plain information because it is told in a way that engages the reader.

Do you write creative non-fiction? Are you willing to give it a try?