Despite being a writer, for years I was one of those who said they didn't have time to read. I always justified it by saying I came home tired from work, that television was more comfortable, that I was sleepy, etc. Lies. Those were just absurd excuses.
Reading isn't a moral obligation for me; on the contrary, it has always been a pleasure. But, as writers, it's also an obligation.
However, reading isn't just for writers, but for everyone. Literature makes us better people in every way. Of course, it doesn't make you a better person simply by reading. However, it opens windows to endless possibilities and improvements: imagination, vocabulary, interpretation, culture, and much more.
And if you've never had the habit, the most common mistake is starting with what you "should" read, not with what would truly captivate you.
Do you like action movies? Then try a thriller. Mystery series? Suspense awaits you. Horror movies? Terror in literature is much deeper. But if you ask me, the best places to start are adventures and classics. Classics are classics because they work, because generations of readers have returned to them.
I really started reading with Robert Louis Stevenson's "Treasure Island," the "Black Corsair" novels by Emilio Salgari, and Jules Verne. I was only nine years old. I realized that adventure wasn't just for children. Later came others. And I discovered that a habit is created through consistency, not intensity. Think about this: with just fifteen pages a day, that's more than five thousand pages in a year.
Here are ten titles to get you started. These are books I've recommended to friends who never read, and they've worked:
"Treasure Island" by Robert Louis Stevenson. Pure adventure, unpretentious.
"The Count of Monte Cristo" by Alexandre Dumas. Revenge, intrigue, and a captivating story.
"Animal Farm" by George Orwell. Short, direct, and powerful enough to leave you thinking.
"Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott. Although it may seem geared toward a specific audience, it's a universal story about family and dreams.
"Dracula" by Bram Stoker. The original is far superior to any adaptation.
"The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes" by Arthur Conan Doyle. Short stories, perfect for reading one each night.
"The Old Man and the Sea" by Ernest Hemingway. Brief, intense, and written with a breathtaking purity.
"The Three Musketeers" by Alexandre Dumas. Friendship, swords, and nonstop action.
"Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley. Very different from what you might think, and much more profound.
"The Call of the Wild" by Jack London. A story that chills you to the bone with its sense of adventure.
Don't read them out of obligation. Read them out of curiosity. And if you don't like one, put it down. The next one awaits.
Although I know you're going to love it.
Versión en español
A pesar de ser escritor, durante años fui de los que decían que no tenían tiempo para leer. Siempre lo justifiqué con que llegaba cansado del trabajo, que la televisión era más cómoda, que tenía sueño, etc. Mentira. Esas solo eran excusas absurdas.
Leer no es una obligación moral para mí, al contrario, siempre ha sido un placer, pero, como escritores , también es una obligación.
No obstante, la lectura no es solo para escritores, sino para todo el mundo. La literatura nos hace mejores personas en todo sentido. Por supuesto, no te hace mejor persona por el mero hecho de hacerlo. Sin embargo, abre ventanas a un sinfín de posibilidades y mejoras: imaginación, vocabulario, interpretación, cultura y muchísimo más.
Y si nunca has tenido el hábito, el error más común es empezar por lo que "deberías" leer, no por lo que realmente mte engancharía.
¿Te gusta el cine de acción? Entonces prueba con un thriller. ¿Las series de misterio? El suspense te espera. ¿Las películas de miedo? El terror en literatura es mucho más profundo. Pero si me preguntas, lo mejor para empezar son las aventuras y los clásicos. Los clásicos lo son porque funcionan, porque generaciones de lectores han vuelto a ellos.
Empecé a leer de verdad con "La isla del tesoro" de Robert Louis Stevenson y con las novelas de “El corsario negro”, de Emilio Salgari y con Julio Verne. Tenía solo nueve años. Me di cuenta de que la aventura no era cosa de niños. Después vinieron otros. Y descubrí que el hábito se crea con constancia, no con intensidad. Piensen en esto: con solo quince páginas al día, en un año son más de cinco mil páginas.
Aquí van diez títulos para empezar. Son libros que he recomendado a amigos que no leían nunca y han funcionado:
No los leas por compromiso. Léelos por curiosidad. Y si uno no te gusta, déjalo. El siguiente te espera.
Aunque sé que te va a encantar.
