Although I don’t make New Year’s resolutions myself, I’m aware that many people do. Okay, for all you readers out there who are resolution-makers, I have a suggestion for you: How about resolving to broaden the scope of your reading in 2017?Most of us favor certain genres, sometime to the exclusion of all else. We may read only self-help books, or only mysteries, or only parenting books, or only sci-fi, or only cookbooks, or only chick lit, or only humor, or…well, you get the idea.
Or perhaps you have three or four favorite authors, and you read every new book that these authors have published, but nothing by anyone else.
Resolve to broaden your scope this year. Explore other genres. Explore other authors.
You might even find something outside your age range. There are plenty of “YA” (young adult—in other words mid-teens and up) books, and those in the relatively new category of “emerging adults” that might be perfectly of interest to you even if you’re 50 or 70. And lots of us have enjoyed revisiting the favorites of our childhood, whether that’s Nancy Drew or THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS. (Can you imagine having a rat as a likable character?) Maybe you should take a trip to the library and visit the children’s area. You probably don’t want to invest in buying a copy of your childhood fave unless you have suitably aged children now, but why not borrow a copy? (And no, you don’t have to lie to the librarian that it’s for your child in order to be allowed to borrow it—LOL.)
But apart from revisiting the favorite books of your childhood, make a resolution now to dip your toes in new waters and explore unfamiliar genres.
How about poetry? Politics and/or current events? Printed and bound scripts of plays? Victorian novels? Dystopian novels? How-tos? Religious or spiritual books? Inspirational books? Puzzle books (other than crosswords and sudoku)? Biographies? Science exploration? Literary fiction? Experimental fiction? Books about the English language or language in general?
Be an adventurer! Explore your bookstore, library, or the websites of your preferred publishers. Go on a treasure hunt for new genres and new authors.
Resolve to make 2017 the year you broaden your reading horizones!