Why is reading bad books important?
Sources:
Reading bad books can serve multiple important purposes:
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Confidence Boost: Encountering poorly written works can help bolster confidence in one's own abilities. As Tim Ferriss and Jessica Lahey discuss, seeing that some books on the shelves are of subpar quality can be reassuring. It can drive an aspiring writer to believe, "I can do better than this" and motivate them to strive for excellence in their work 1.
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Perspective and Learning: Bad books provide an opportunity to critically analyze and understand what went wrong. This can be a valuable learning experience, helping one to avoid similar mistakes in their own writing. It can also foster a deeper appreciation of what makes good writing compelling and effective 2.
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Balance in Reading: Constantly reading masterpieces can sometimes be intimidating and disheartening. Mixing in some mediocre or poorly written books can provide balance, reminding readers that there is a wide spectrum of quality in published works. This diversification can also prevent feelings of inadequacy that might arise from always comparing oneself to the very best examples 3.
Thus, reading bad books can be both inspirational and educational, pushing individuals to improve and maintain a realistic perspective of the literary landscape.
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