Is Fiction a Waste of Time? Redditors Weigh In...

Hey Reader,

While I don't often think to check in on Reddit, every now and then I come across a post that feels like a fun version of a pillow fight.

I couldn't wait to check out how people responded to this one.

I wouldn’t have posted that.
But I’ve thought it.

Especially in the days when my book stack was overflowing with nonfiction titles I felt like I should read—books on mindset, habits, business, personal growth. I’d scroll right past a novel I wanted to read, because… what would that do for me?

That’s the quiet shame fiction readers are often handed:
If it’s not “useful,” it’s not worth your time.

The Redditors who responded really showed up in the comments—with honesty, kindness, and something that felt like quiet defiance.

Fiction teaches. But that’s not the point.

This one, though? It's the mic drop.

My favorite part of this post:

“I learned how to be a better mom from Marmee in Little Women... how to open my heart from The House in the Cerulean Sea... how to laugh out loud from Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers.”

Here's what I'm taking away from the entire thread:

Note: You can read the entire conversation here.

There’s nothing wrong with learning through stories.
But you don’t have to justify it.

Fiction shapes us—gently, indirectly, often without our noticing. And that’s enough.

Three Reasons These Readers Say Fiction Matters

1. Fiction is soul work, not fluff.

“Fiction is for entertainment—and therefore is worthy.”
“Books break the shackles of time… a book is proof that humans are capable of magic.” (Carl Sagan)

Fiction lets us time travel, feel what others feel, live inside other minds. That’s not a waste. That’s a resource.

2. It’s emotional and cognitive maintenance.

“Reading helps with my anxiety.”
“I’m terrified of short-form content eating my attention span.”
“I read to relax my brain.”

Reading fiction isn’t idle. It’s recovery. It’s pacing. It’s holding onto who you are in a noisy world.

3. It grows you—quietly.

Fiction doesn’t test you. It shapes you. Readers shared how novels changed their outlook on parenting, forgiveness, even how to handle grief.

We read fiction not because we plan to grow, but because we wander into a story and didn’t come out the same.

Tools, Not Trackers

You don’t need a reading plan. But you can have a playground.

Kindle Unlimited is great for genre experimentation—especially cozy mysteries, soft sci-fi, or contemporary fiction that you’re curious about but hesitant to commit to.

Libby is your free public library portal. If you’ve got a library card, you’ve got a fiction buffet.

No gold stars. No guilt. Just stories.

A Thought to Leave With

What’s a book that taught you nothing—except how to breathe a little easier afterward?

(You don’t have to answer. Just maybe… read one of those again this week.)

— Tracy

P. S. If you’ve ever felt guilty for reading just to feel better, I hope this gave you some permission to breathe. If you want to help me keep writing about this kind of stuff, here’s my tip jar. It’s like tossing a coin in the fountain of quiet reader rebellion.

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