Why am I a fantasy reader?
Why am I a reader?
I have always identified as a reader. So being surrounded by books, reading about worlds that do not exist was a great way to find my place in the world, my place within myself and finding something that made me uniquely me. Yet, the question is: why do I read? That is a wonderful question and that has a very simple answer.
Because I want to be a reader.
I identify as such, the idea of having a day pass by without me reading something that is not work related feels insufferable. Please do not get me wrong: sometimes life takes precedence in all of its facets and sometimes I am not able to read during a day or a set of days.
It is the absence of this hobby that makes me understand the value that it has on my life. And I know now that I am a reader. And it does not matter if I read for 10 hours straight (I actually do not think I have done it ever) or if I read one sentence of a book, at 11.59pm. It really does not matter.
What matters is that I spend time in a fictional world (whether it’s Earth today, in another time or a completely different setting); what matters is for me to progress on that story that I am reading.
And I think this is the most important element to takeaway from my post: if you want to be a reader, you are. It’s truly important consider yourself a reader, even if you are not reading as much as you would like. Or even if you have not picked up a book in a very long time. It does not matter. The wanting to be a reader, should lead you to call yourself a reader. There is also something fabulous about this process: the more you call yourself a reader, the more you believe you are one and the more likely you will spend time reading!
In other words, there is a higher chance of success in accomplishing that goal - of being a reader, if you call yourself one. It is the same as when one starts running - or doing any sport. There are higher chances of success in knowing that you are a runner (or fill in the word for the sport that resonates with you). It’s how our brains are wired and it is important to trick our brain (if you want to use more positive wording around this, you can say that you are helping your brain) in order to be able to achieve those goals.
This is not the only trick that I use in order to stay on top of this hobby that defines me as an individual. Over time, I found that there are a few other tools that I use in order to push myself to achieve a little bit more. I can summarize I with: be gentle and disciplined with myself.
It’s about feeling satisfied at the end of the day: did I pursue the things that I actually wanted to pursue today? If the answer is yes, great. Pat on the shoulder and I can challenge myself to do the same - or a little bit more.
If the answer is that I did not pursue all the things that I wanted to, then I ask myself what should I change in order to accomplish the things I would like to tomorrow? This process also includes a simple assessment as to whether I have been too ambitious with myself and the time that I had available. This means trying to be more realistic the following day in order to accomplish what I want to.
This assessment is another way to be gentle with myself; it is important to be able to understand what I can do and want to do, having clarity around the time I actually have available (and it can simply be that the problem is that the things that I have on my list take longer than anticipated and that’s why I can tackle less).
In the last few years, there is also a component that is relevant in my journey of feeling I am a reader. This is connected to the social (media) aspect of it; to this day, I do not have many IRL friends and family members who read the same books I am interested in. And social media was a great tool to get in contact with people who love fantasy, for example. And I am loving my journey through fantasy also because I get to share this journey with others and make sure that I get inspired by (and hopefully inspired) others.
It’s a positive interaction, something that I crave.
I will never know of all the books in the world; however I can connect with people who read authors or stories I did not even have on my map and it’s truly beautiful. A unique moment that colors my days, making sure that I get energized by these exchanges and give back as much - hopefully - as the reading community shares with me.
If I wanted to summarize this first part of this post:
Reading makes me feel complete, it is part of who I am;
I want to have books around me at all times, whether I listen to them or read them;
I try to live by be gentle yet disciplined in my reading journey
social media has helped me to connect with people with whom to share my joy and love for reading!
incidentally making my TBR never-ending yet this is the additional value of this process!
Why am I a fantasy reader?
Fantasy is a genre that allows me, as a reader, to explore topics and themes without getting “bogged down” by reality; incidentally, this is the same reason I really like historical fiction (books like Never by Ken Follett are wonderful but they also bring a certain level of anxiety on life)
And let’s be honest: I read these books also because I want to have mythological creatures around me, including but not limited to dragons and unicorns.
And actually, the type of storytelling that always attracted me (although not exclusively!) was the one centered around mythology. Whether it is about the bored Greek god that decides to toy with humans; to Arthurian legends. Or whimsical retellings of Alexander the Great. All of these topics have always been very intriguing for me and I have been wanting to explore these themes extensively for myself!
And do I dabble into stories told in this world? Absolutely yes. Do I love them? Also a resounding yes. But there is always something magical in stories that have that something else that does not belong to our day to day life; whether it’s a dragon or it’s magic.
And the ability to explore very different levels of social constructs - there is something fascinating about seeing societies as they are depicted in fantasy stories. What is the role of women? What is the role of men? Does gender matter? What are the typical jobs in this world? Do you have an economy based on trade? On agriculture? Are the people still nomadic? What is the relation with neighboring “states”? Is there slavery? Can lords be punished for their abuses? There is so much to explore and the vast majority of authors have a unique take on how society is built. And I love this exploration, next to having mythological creature and/or magic and getting to spend time with them.
There is also something typical in these stories: the ability to explore different humans and what makes them tick in scenarios of stress or bliss. In fact, the vast majority of the stories I read in fantasy have high stakes; how will a character react to be in the middle of battle? How will they react when their friends and family are being taken away from them? Will they be able to step up and keep pursuing their goals? I know this might be an obvious point however it’s one of my drivers.
Think about J.R.R. Tolkien: he experienced the trauma of fighting in World War I and this has defined his sensitivity in terms of humanity which also seeped through the way he tells a story. And he told fantastic stories in Middle Earth.
Last but not least, there is another reason that I love about fantasy - and it is an aspect that defines fantasy as a genre. Maps.
This is actually an acquired taste for me; initially, when I started making my way through fantasy, I have never particularly cared for maps. This position changed when I started drawing them.
Now, I love seeing beautiful map art: think about Middle Earth or The Wheel of Time. Both of them have unique map art that stands the test of time. I also have additional respect for Anthony Ryan who draws his own fantasy maps.
This is an element that has become an important part of my life. I will eventually focus on this and make significant progress on the art of making maps; today, this helps me look at maps with a new fascination and a new found love for them!
If I were to summarize this section, I would say:
fantasy allows me to explore important themes and topics without being “distracted” by the real life application of those;
this includes tackling social structures with a different perspective and make an assessment for myself as to what I think about these areas.
I get to experience mythological creatures, whether they are dragons or unicorns or anything else that resonates with me;
characters get to experience some of the most stressful situations in their lives and I truly enjoy seeing other people’s reactions in moments of stress
and no, this is not seeing them in pain but wanting to see them rise to the occasion; and sometimes they are not able to. The beauty of these stories is the essence of persistence; there is always a little bit more persistence rather than not.
MAPS!
I wanted to share the reasons why I identify as a reader and, more specifically, a fantasy reader. I am not exclusively a fantasy reader, I dabble in other genres; yet, fantasy has been coloring most of my life in the last fifteen years and I do not see myself moving away from this genre for the time being!
So let me ask you the question: Why are you reading? And why are you a fantasy reader specifically? What attracts you to fantasy? What makes fantasy your safe space in reading?
