Not long ago, I went to an event to sit at a table and sell books. It was not the usual sort of bookselling event (outdoor local festival), however, and I didn’t really hold a lot of hope. I did sell a couple, but I digress.

The most important thing I discovered at the event was this: when asked what kind of books a person liked to read, most said I don’t read.

SHOCKED!

And honestly, I don’t think it is a lie. According to http://www.statisticbrain.com 56% of young people claim to read more than 10 books a year, but 80% of US families have not read a book this year (Jan-July 2014). So what is a writer to do?

Well here are 5 reasons THIS writer thinks reading is important.

1. The obvious reason is for entertainment. You can get so much more from a book than from a movie.
2. Educate yourself, you can LEARN a great deal from books.
3. Enlarge your horizons. You will learn about different cultures, places, and peoples from a good book. And if it is a fantasy, you can let your mind run wild.
4. You can learn HOW to write from reading a book. Yes, it is true. Good writers have tell-tale signs that show a newbie the right way to write.
5. Keep your mind active. My dear auld mather used to read. A lot. When she passed away at 80 her last words were the answer to a crossword puzzle, so what does that tell you?

GO out and read. Get a good book. It can be non-fic, fiction, memoir, whatever. But do it. It’s important to your overall health. You will destress, become smarter, and of course, help out a starving artist all in one fell swoop.

And if you like giveaways, don’t forget about the one starting here for a great Christmas collection. It starts November 30.