Last week saw the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, which brought some concerning insights about reading skills. I wish I could report that publishing was front and center of the global agenda—or even that a swathe of AI discussions zoomed in on copyright-adjacent themes. Of course, that wasn’t the case. But it was the case that one of the key annual reports to accompany the event has some interesting (alarming or encouraging or both, depending on which side of the fence you fall—or, indeed, whether you prefer your fence ride to be astride) findings for us.
Is Reading on the Decline?
Let’s start with reading. Are people reading more or less than they used to? Are they reading for pleasure or productivity? Are they reading in print, on a screen, or through ear pods? These are questions we are used to seeing stats and opinions on in this column. But the WEF’s 2025 Future of Jobs report (as always, I recommend you read it, but as is often the case, I’ve read it so you don’t have to) asks a very specific question: Which skills are the most valuable for jobs now, and which will be the most valuable in five years’ time? And the dual answer to this question enables the creation of a giant table based on the direction of travel of each skill.
Only two skills on the list show a decrease in perceived importance. Bottom of the list (with a 24 percent decrease) is “manual dexterity, endurance, and precision.” The other one? “Reading, writing, and mathematics.”
If people are reading primarily for performance right now, then that would be a real warning shot. As it is, we can see it as anything from profoundly depressing to “useful intel.” I am always inclined to the latter. Because, as many commentators express it, the alternative is just to give up.
The Value of Creativity and Curiosity
But there is a flip side if we go to the top of the list. In sixth place, with a net increase of 61 percent, is “curiosity and lifelong learning.” And in fourth, up 66 percent, is (much to my relief as this is literally my thing) “creative thinking.” And in terms of what we actually do as writers (as opposed to the mechanics of what we do), those two categories are surely the two that best encapsulate the magic of books, of storytelling.
So while the perception of our bald outputs and “technique” might seem to be catastrophically on the wane, the perception of the real value we bring to the world, and our actual core skills, is firmly in the ascendant. We would, I suggest, do well to note both of those.
Thoughts or further questions on this post or any self-publishing issue?
If you’re an ALLi member, head over to the SelfPubConnect forum for support from our experienced community of indie authors, advisors, and our own ALLi team. Simply create an account (if you haven’t already) to request to join the forum and get going.
Non-members looking for more information can search our extensive archive of blog posts and podcast episodes packed with tips and advice at ALLi's Self-Publishing Advice Center.