When it comes to reading, we may be assuming that reading for knowledge is the best reason to pick up a book. Research, however, suggests that reading fiction may provide far more important benefits than nonfiction. It may be one of the best methods for building empathy (同理心), critical thinking and creativity.

High-level business leaders have long enthusiastically praised the virtues of reading. But they almost always recommend nonfiction. Reading nonfiction might certainly be valuable for collecting knowledge. However, research suggests that reading fiction predicts a sharper ability to understand other people’s motivations.

In addition, research suggests that reading literary fiction is an effective way to improve the brain’s ability to keep an open mind while processing information, a necessary skill for effective decision-making. In a 2013 study, researchers examined something called the need for cognitive closure (认知闭合), or the desire to “reach a quick conclusion in decision-making and an aversion to uncertainty and confusion”. Individuals with a strong need for cognitive closure rely heavily on “early information hints”, meaning they struggle to change their minds as new information becomes available. A high need for cognitive closure also means individuals are attracted to smaller bits of information and fewer viewpoints. Individuals who resist the need for cognitive closure tend to be more thoughtful, more creative, and more comfortable with competing narratives — all characteristics of high emotional intelligence.

University of Toronto researchers discovered that individuals in their study who read short stories (as opposed to essays) demonstrated a lower need for cognitive closure. That result is not surprising given that reading literature requires us to slow down, take in volumes of information, and then change our minds as we read. There’s no easy answer in literature. Instead, there’s only perspective-taking. As readers, we’ll almost certainly find Lolita’s narrator Humbert Humbert hateful, but we are forced to experience how he thinks, a valuable exercise for decreasing our need for cognitive closure.

Book reviews can be a great foot in the door if you’re looking to get your writing published somewhere. Most magazines, whether online or print, will include book reviews about books that tackle the topics the magazine discusses. Also, most editors and staff writers are usually too busy to read books and review them themselves (unless they are specifically assigned to a book review column). Therefore, writing book reviews can be a great way to get started with a writing career.

Many people that are reading your review may not know anything about the book you’re reviewing. Instead of making them go find information on their own by searching for the book title, start out with a little description of the book. Make sure you avoid too long of a summary though, because if too much of your article is a summary of the book, it won’t be interesting. Start with a short paragraph or so that hits all the major points but doesn't give too much away. You don’t want to tell your reader everything about the book, because then they won’t have to read it at all. Just give enough information so your reader is interested in reading the book.

Some magazines like to publish book reviews that are completely objective. This means that they want a review of the book that doesn't share your opinion and that in which your opinion isn't obvious from reading what you wrote. If you hated a book, it might not be a great book to review.

You probably want to review books that you enjoyed. This will give your review a positive spin. Avoid gushing about how much you loved the book, however. You should not include your personal reaction to the book until the very end, where you include a sentence or two about whether or not you would recommend a book and to whom you would recommend it.

A great way to get your review noticed is to look at a book through a specific lens. Read the book as a feminist would, for example, and talk about what a feminist might say to applaud or criticize the book. You can choose any number of lenses, and feminism is just one option. An economic lens, a family lens, the lens of a different nationality, or the lens of a child could all be interesting ways to look at a book. If you look at a book in this way, instead of just reading it and forming your own opinion, it will be much more interesting and marketable. This is especially the case if you look at a lens that relates to the subject of the magazine to which you are submitting. Feminist magazines love book reviews about books read through a feminist lens, for example, because it pertains to their readership.

Another great way to write a book review is to talk about the writer’s style. Anyone can pick up a book and read for the plot, but it takes an experienced writer to note interesting things about another writer’s style and write about them intelligently.

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