20+ Reasons SFF is Super Good for Your Body & Mind!

[…] has proven that reading sci-fi/fantasy books is good for your health and well being so it’s crucial that you get your daily dose. I’m not going to let you […]

[…] True enough, some fine literature makes its way to the top of various search engines and there is plenty of it around so what’s the problem? My point hasn’t been that there isn’t much fine literature available to read or even that there isn’t much fine literature that is discoverable. I believe there is. My point has been that our search engine, keyword, SEO driven culture is creating an environment where deep, thoughtful literature is likely to be lost in a mountain of less well thought through books that have found a way to beat the system. It’s happening now. There are no systems in place to contain the problem other than telling the next Leo Tolstoy or Emily Dickinson that he/she needs to learn how to write book blurbs and book titles that are search engine friendly.This isn’t an Amazon issue, nor is it a google issue. It’s a world wide, internet cultural issue that’s easy to understand and easy to trace back to its roots. It’s also difficult to resolve. Today’s problem is that millions of people are publishing books and no one has time to read them all to determine which ones are worthy of significant attention. Last century’s problem was that publishing companies ignored some talent altogether. I think today’s problem is somewhat more egregious however and the reason is simple: in this information age, we’re so overwhelmed with information and so under-educated about how to make meaningful opinions about the information we experience that we’re losing our ability to discern fine literature in the first place. And if fine literature continues to become more difficult to find and continues to be less understood, it will eventually find its place on dusty museum shelves. I’m interested in plausible solutions and I’m not alone. Thousands of authors are addressing these issues across the globe but most of the chatter is lost in obscurity. Imagine that. I do have some connections that may carry sway in the right places if you have any suggestions. So, if you have some clever ideas, deep thoughts, or even if you just have a question, let me know in the comments below. Until then, go read a book and don’t forget that reading science fiction and fantasy is good for your health, well being, and your mind. […]