Creative Reading: An Overview

Creative reading is an active and imaginative approach to engaging with texts. Unlike passive
reading, which focuses solely on understanding the surface meaning of a text, creative reading
encourages students to explore deeper layers of meaning, consider alternative interpretations, and
make personal connections.

This approach involves reading beyond the literal and thinking critically about language,
structure, and context. It includes questioning an author’s choices, considering different
perspectives, and even reimagining aspects of a text, such as altering its point of view or
extending its narrative. For example, when reading a novel, a creative reader might consider how
the story would change if told from another character’s perspective or in a different time period.

Creative reading also draws on personal experience and emotions, allowing students to form unique
interpretations. It helps develop skills in literary analysis, as well as creativity in writing. By
engaging with texts in this way, readers deepen their appreciation of literature and become more
confident in their own responses.

Ultimately, creative reading transforms the act of reading into an interactive experience,
encouraging students not just to consume literature but to engage with it in fresh, insightful
ways.