Do you have a TBR pile? Yeah, I hear you. Stupid question. Who doesn't?


Currently on my heap, I've got a box-of-kleenex death-of-a-hero type of book; a futuristic who-dunnit story; a re-read of a historical romance just because I love it; a half-dozen craft books; and I think there's even a young adult and a speculative contemporary lurking in that pile. That's not even counting the shelf of Regency England research books I have yet to finish perusing.


Don't get me wrong. I'm not whining. There's way more titles I'd add to that stack if I had the money, but even if I did, where would I find the time to read them all? Surely with so many books and so little time, the topic of reading outside your comfort zone is a moot point, isn't it?


No. It's not. I'm a big advocate of reading outside your comfort zone even when--and especially when--your time is limited.


Why? Lot's of reasons...


1. Gets you out of a rut, opening your eyes to other storyworlds that just might spur you on to greater creativity.


2. It demolishes prejudice. How do you know you don't like a western if you've never read one? If story is king, the genre doesn't matter. I'm not saying you pick up some trashy paperbooks in an alley dumpster. That would be a waste of time...literally. When choosing to read outside your comfort zone, pick some titles that are classics or bestsellers (because there's usually a reason they're in that position).


3. If you want to be a well-rounded writer, you must be a well-rounded reader.  Don't forget short storys, poems, and plays can teach and hone different skills than a novel.


4. You just might discover a new favorite author. It's happened to me. Because I write reviews, I don't always get to choose what books I have to read. I've come across some fantastic new authors this way.


5. There's always something to learn, from a new time period, to a people group you're not familiar with, or even scientific theories you've never heard of. Reading outside your comfort bubble is educational.


So go on...nudge, nudge...step out of your suffocating little box. Fling a completely out-of-your-zone book onto your TBR pile today.  You can thank me for it later.


Preferably with chocolate.