When it comes to reading, many people ask the question, “Do you read?” This is answered with “yes, I love to read,” or “yeah, sometimes,” or “no, I hate it,” or “no, I don’t have time,” or something else along these lines.
However, few people ask the question, “how do you read?” Now, this is not a literal question. It’s not concerned with making people explain how their brains process words. Instead, it’s concerned with the logistics and attitude involved with reading. If someone isn’t reading a lot, or they’re burnt out with reading, or you just don’t know how they manage to read so much, the answers to this question can be illuminating. Everyone reads differently, and your personal situation greatly affects this.
For example, if you are a student, you read to learn. However, you are told what to read, how much to read, and when to read. You are forced to read at a speed that either matches the speed set by your teacher in class, or a speed that allows you to finish your assigned reading in time. You also read with the stress of deadlines, grading, and a high workload looming over you. Would it be too much to say that some students read with fear in their hearts? Before you say yes, picture a room full of students studying for a final exam. Remember when you studied for final exams. Reading is beneficial for learning, but it can be overdone.
If you are a busy person, you might read for quick pleasure. You read in snippets here and there whenever you have five minutes to yourself and are not exhausted. You listen to audiobooks so you can get work done while reading, but you may feel guilty because this seems like cheating (it’s not, don’t worry). You probably don’t read a lot of books over the course of a year, and when it’s time to choose a new book, you gravitate towards your old favorites: authors and genres you already know you enjoy because you want something that is guaranteed to give you escapism when life gets hectic.
If you are a book reviewer, you read to critique and recommend. You read dozens and dozens of books each year and are expected to read very quickly and yet still pick up on all the nuances, layers, and intricacies of plot and characters. You probably love reading, otherwise I have to ask why you chose this path in the first place. You sometimes read things you might not have otherwise chosen to read. You sometimes find yourself reading only certain kinds of books (i.e. books of a specific genre or publishing method). You walk a fine line of critiquing without being overly critical.
Remember, these are just examples and don’t apply to everybody. However, do you see how they help you to step back and understand why someone reads voraciously, has trouble reading, only reads certain things, or hates it altogether? If you have a kid in school who is struggling with reading, asking how they read can help you figure out why. If you find yourself struggling, ask yourself how you read. This is the first step to a better reading life.
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