Writers, here's why you shouldn't feel pressured to read classic literature!
- Chelsea ✨
- Feb 24, 2020
- 4 min read
Book editor explains that it's okay to dislike classic literature and read the books you enjoy instead!
Disclaimer: Before you read on, please know that this post isn't to dismiss, criticise or ridicule classic literature, or put down anyone who enjoys reading it. This post is simply to validate those who feel pressured to read the classics at the expense of other books they know they will enjoy more. 😊
Classic literature is always part of the curriculum for English at school, and I remember that hardly anyone in my class enjoyed reading it. We slogged through the set texts because we had to know the gist of the story and themes to pass our exams, but most of us used sites like SparkNotes instead of actually reading the whole book. 😅
Fast forward from those English lessons, and readers are now bombarded with articles and lists that tell you the '100 books you MUST read before you die', contributing to a societal pressure to read classic literature, whether you enjoy it or not. And if you choose not to read it, you're considered uncultured and unread.
But the truth is, many writers and bookworms prefer to read other categories, genres, styles and themes they actually enjoy. And that's okay! Not everyone enjoys classic literature, just like not everyone enjoys crime or fantasy, so why is there such a harsh pressure to read it? 🤔
Well, many people have said they read classic literature to broaden their literary knowledge or writing skills, but what about all the other enjoyable novels that can provide the same result? If you're serious about getting your own book published, it's surely more helpful to learn from more modern authors who are published now, rather than trying to emulate classic authors who got published in a different time and when the literary market looked a lot different.
I doubt many people would force themselves to read the entire Poldark series to achieve the same goal, or tell themselves (and others) that they must read every Tolkien book before they die. And no one would binge every novelisation of Doctor Who, Star Wars or Warhammer if they had no interest in science fiction or fantasy, so why is it different with classic literature? We're always told to read the likes of The Time Machine by H. G. Wells, 1984 by George Orwell, and Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. 📜
Side note: I've read The Time Machine BECAUSE I enjoy the time travel sub-genre, not because I felt forced to read it, which is the point of this post. And my partner has read 1984 BECAUSE he's fascinated by messed up, dystopian worlds, not because he felt pressured to. And he will probably read Brave New World sometime in the future as well, but not out of any pressure, whereas I probably won't read it anytime soon.
I've heard that a lot of writers and readers don't feel as validated unless they've read 'enough' Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Charles Dickens or Thomas Hardy, for example, to be accepted in the world of literature. 🤯
And many writers specifically often believe they'll never see their books on bookshelves if they've not read, absorbed, and loved all the classics, even though agents suggest reading books similar to their own.
As said before, the majority of us have had to read a few classics for English at school, and then perhaps college and university for those to pursued that particular path. I remember those days well, but even though I chose to continue English at college and uni, I didn't enjoy every classic put in front of me. Forgive me, but I didn't get on with Jane Eyre, and I probably never will, so I'm not going bow down to societal pressure just to appear "well-read." 🤷♀️
On the other hand, there are some classics I enjoyed reading and can say I like. The Great Gatsby being one of them, but I had no interest in reading it until I'd seen the film. I also like The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, and The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov.
If you genuinely want to read classic literature, definitely keep reading it without any shame, but if you'd much rather read the books you actually enjoy, then that should be your priority, again, without any shame. Just because the world has told you to read certain books before you die, it doesn't mean you have to. 😊
Yes, the classic authors are and always will be great, but it saddens me that this pressure to read them stops people reading what they love!
So, if you're currently ploughing through a classic book and hating it, put it down! There's no shame in leaving a book unfinished if you're not enjoying it. Life is way too short!
Reading should be enjoyed, after all. 🧡
If you're looking for your next read, how about one of these?
- Chelsea x
ABOUT CHELSEA
Hey! I'm Chelsea and I'm a professional book editor at Stand Corrected Editing, my editorial business in the UK. If you would like me to edit your manuscript, please get in touch!
With my book editing services and packages, I hope to spread my knowledge and expertise on how to make your novel a success, and be a mentor to others who long to pursue a career as an author!
