Do people still read?

In our newspaper this week, a columnist wrote about reading - an interesting combination.

Many people think that reading isn’t important anymore. No one wants to sit down with a good old book and flip through the pages. Instead, they like to watch TV or play on the Internet.

I don’t know about this. I think reading may be just as prevalent, although done in different forms. People might not read newspapers as much anymore, because they read the news online. They might not flip through a book or check one out from the library, because they are reading on their Kindle, their iPhone or their iPad. Kids are constantly reading Facebook, and even articles that are posted on Facebook.

People still read, even though it’s in different formats.

I also have to say, that when something interesting comes out, people will read it. How many people have read the Harry Potter series? Twilight? Hunger Games? The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo? Even if it took the movie coming out to inspire them to read the source material, these interesting stories are encouraging people to read.

I know too that so much material is coming out these days, that is harder to be successful as a writer. It doesn’t mean that people have stopped reading but that they have so much to choose from, the reading is spread out more. Even iBooks allows writers to publish material easily on the web. It doesn’t mean a lot of people are going to read it, but a lot of people are reading a lot of different pieces.

I have to say, I don’t read all the much for fun. However, I do read a lot. I read for work while editing. I read the news. I read sermons. I try to read the Bible, although I should more often than I do. I read for premarital counseling. After that, I feel like giving my eyes a rest. Sometimes I am reading so much that my eyes actually have get blurry and have double vision.

However, when something interesting comes up, I’ll read it. I took the time to read “Under and Alone,” because the subject matter interested me. If we give people something interesting to check out, they’ll take the time to do it.

I think the thing about reading is people are super busy today. They aren’t going to sit down with a paperback book unless that book offers them something important, something worth their valuable extra moments.

My encouragement to other writers, make your stories interesting.

And thanks for taking the time to read my page.