Non-Fiction

I’m in awe of writers who create great works of non-fiction. I say this because I don’t think I could do it. I like to read history and biographies and the amount of research that goes into them is off the charts. I know, they have assistants who do a lot of the work, but still, the writer has to put it into prose that’s accurate and interesting. Case in point is the book I’m reading now, Churchill: Walking with Destiny by Andrew Roberts. It’s a doorstopper of a book and a quarter of the way into it, I’m in for the long haul. This isn’t my first Churchill biography so I already know much about his life, but the amount of detail in this book, well, my goodness. The whole thing would’ve taken me a lifetime to write. Good thing I stick with fiction. I read non-fiction because in many cases real life is crazier than fiction. I believe that reading a variety of topics is worthwhile and helps build a strong foundation for a writer. For instance, reading classical authors isn’t required if you want to write, but it certainly helps. Likewise, non-fiction has helped me brainstorm ideas, among other things, but more than all that is learning the human condition. I’ve learned of courage, heroism, cowardice, cruelty, and sacrifice, not just in the current book I’m reading but in all I’ve consumed over the years. Thanks to the authors who do what I couldn’t and create beautiful written works of non-fiction art.