A myriad of business books has been written. You will meet the occasional non-fiction reader that refuses to read any fiction. You ask them why, and they respond, “I want to read something I can learn from and apply it to everyday life.” That’s fair but inadequate.
Successful people have learned from the world’s most famous CEOs and created profitable businesses worldwide by reading how-tos and effectively executing their business plans.
…but while thriving, have they emotionally connected to themselves? Do they know how they are feeling inside?
Fiction helps you grow emotionally and become more empathetic. (Yes, memoirs often have a similar effect too.) However, if you don’t use your imagination, you either fear it or undermine its power. Imagination prepares us for the unknown and helps us evaluate our thoughts and emotions. Metaphors, analogies, and other underlying meanings engage the human mind. If you’re an employer, this is how you want to attract your customers.
While imagination is one’s own, you use it to elicit perceptions that take people to emotional places. They are the perceiver, and you stir their motivation with a target (your product). If the timing and impression management are right, the situation will work in your favour.
If you want your marketing writer to be diverse and write empathetic content, you will need someone that knows their fiction. An experienced fiction writer will use their storytelling skills to express your customers’ pain points.
Business people, please read more fiction.
Paula C. Deckard 