Thread: A thinker’s question. How do you read?

By this, I mean, do you plough through a novel without pause, or are you in the habit of stopping, going back a paragraph or two, and re-reading it? And if the latter, do you do it constantly? And why do you (think you) do it? Is it because you don’t grasp meaning quickly?

The reason for my question is a further question, about what ‘that type of reading’ might signify, in terms of one’s writing skills.



Edit: Okay, maybe it's more of a question for a psychology site than a writing site, but have your say anyway. Maybe there'll be some laughs come out of it.

I’m a ravenous devourer of books. I rip through them as fast as possible. It’s not intentional though, and not an ideal way to read, I know.

On a first read of anything, the 'What happens' is the most important thing for me, I think. I read books quickly, not leaving much room to savour anything.

If I really like something, or need to study it for school, I will read it a second time.
When I'm not wondering what'll happen within the plot I am much more likely to notice the subtler things.


Edit - I guess that might relate to my approach to writing too. The first draft is about getting out what happens, and the revisions are to manipulate and improve the finer points.

I generally go straight on through. If there's a particularly wordy sentence, I may reread it to be sure that it sank in properly. Though sometimes, when there's a lot on my mind, I'll read half a page only to realize that I didn't absorb any of it, and have to backtrack. This hasn't happened for quite a while, though. Another thing about the way I read is, if the writing sucks, I'll catch myself skipping ahead. Like, if someone's going on this huge rant about something and it just keeps going on and on, I'll skip to the next paragraph or to some dialogue. Rarely do this.

It depends on the genre, light fiction typically I read through really quickly in large chunks, scientific I read at the same rate but in smaller bits, really dense literature I will re-read passages over again to make sure that I understand it as best I can and how good it is depends on how much of it I read at a time.

It depends on the book. I fly into outer space a lot, and some sentence can pull me right up out of the book on occasion, then I have to find my place again when I get back. If it's dense or complicated I might read passages again and again, especially if it is science of some kind as I don't want to miss out on it or a tricky concept of some sort. If it's a really good writer I move along pretty quickly, unless, like I said, something sets me to thinking about it.
Since I began writing though, I often would rather play with words myself than read, but I have read avidly for years and read a lot on forums as well. And also since writing, I will stop and wonder at the brilliance of certain perfect passages, or find faults in logic, or other such in paying attention to how the writer is writing. That can definately slow me up a bit at times, but good books suck me back in without much difficulty too. Still, some part of me is paying attention and will slow, pause and study when I see the writer in their best form, reading their zen.

edited to say I know I'm tired when I start rambling and repeating myself. Off to bed with me.

I read through a book once without pause, if I like it enough I'll read it again at a later date and find things that I didn't realise before. Some of the books that I won are rather tatty where I have re read them so many times. So I don't really pause and re read I tend to tear through once then at a later date I'll tear through it again and discover new things. Sometimes if I find a bit I really like I'll stop and re read that. Or once I've finished a book I'll go back and read just one chapter.

I love a well rounded 3D character, if I find a book that has one I tend to re read that more than others. I notice more about the characters in a book than I do location or anything else.

I write in pretty much the same way. Although without completing the whole piece. I'll write a section then go back and notice things about my characters that I didn't put in before. Always developing and stretching them out.

I read two or three books at the same time. For example, I'll read a few chapters from one book, and then switch to something else the next day - or maybe i'll read nothing at all. I'll come back to the first book in a few days, maybe a week later. I haven't forgotten it. I just like the adventure to last. Very rarely do I read one book all at once, in one go. Very rarely have I had the impulse to read on, faster and faster, until the end is suddenly there.

Most times, I tend to read dialogue and skip all the "...," he said, he replied, he responded tags. I like description, but not in huge chunks. If the story is not moving at an even keel, I tend to read the first and last couple of sentences in a chubby paragraph. It's probably unfair to the author. I should read every word. But the author can be unfair to the reader, as well.

The things Caelum said all sound familiar, sometimes I use a card on the page and don't allow myself to go back, it makes me concentrate and get it in one and speeds up my reading.

I never make any effort to read anything fast. I constantly back and fill; go back and reread a sentence or paragraph when I see something clever the writer has done, or when I see something that is clumsy and in need of straightening out. Often I will make notes.

Much of the non-fiction I read requires more study than straight reading. Reports from government ministries, agencies such as UNDP, FAO, IMF, and various NGOs are written in a specialised language that cannot be skipped through lightly. Probably the habits I've picked up from reading and writing this kind of material has influenced the way I read fiction.

Good point garza; I spent years unravelling legal documents, which I enjoyed immensely, and possibly, just as it has with you, the habit's carried over into reading fiction.


On an associated note, if one were to attempt an analysis of Bolero, could one be said to be unravelling Ravel?

double post

Often I will make notes.

When I come across words I don't know I write them in pencil inside the front cover with the page number so I can look them up, then rub them out later.

I like to visualize everything so I tend to read at a steady pace.

Ox - As regards Bolero, I suggest you go with Dave Clark and 'Take Five'.