My Reading Habits

[katekintailbc]

A reading habit. That's a good way to phrase it. That would help explain how many books I just have to have.

First thing I should say is that I consider myself to be a SLOW reader. I'm actually probably on the slow side of normal, but I surround myself with such avid, quick readers that I feel like I read more slowly than most people. My SAT verbal score probably confirms this. I like earreading audiobooks so much because they make me feel productive by getting reading done while I'm doing other things like driving. I really like feeling productive. I also dig audiobooks because of their steady pace that I can follow and not feel like I'm going too quickly that I miss things or slowly that I feel like an idiot.

Second thing I should probably say, is that I read a lot of books at a time. It's never been a problem for me, jumping from one to the other (except for the one time I earread a book in my car and earread a book at work and it was the same person reading them, so I was confused. What was James Fraser doing at the Sunday Morning Philosophy Club? heehee). Usually I read a wide variety of books, so lots of the times it's different genres, which helps a lot in me keeping them separate. Usually, though, the books are so strong on their own I can remember instantly where I left off and what's been happening. It does make the books go more slowly, because it's not one book that's going everywhere with me and getting read constantly. But I like having a bunch going on at the same time.

Here are the places I read:

• Bedroom- I keep a book by my bed, but I only read before bed a few nights a week. Typically, I don't go to bed until I'm tired (though I'm pretty much always tired; I blame the new allergy meds). So typically I'd get a page or two read before falling asleep sitting up. Occasionally, I treat myself and make it into bed half an hour before I start feeling tired and I get a little done. Typically I'll nod off and then force myself to keep reading about three or four times before giving up and turning in. My favorite time to read in bed, however, are holiday or Sunday mornings when I can sleep in and stay in bed as long as I like. If I'm lucky, I wake up refreshed around 9 or 10 and then I stay in bed until 12 or 1 reading. My favorite things to read in bed are comics, hockey romances, gay erotica, or gay romances. Current book by my bed is... a memoir. That doesn't really fit the pattern. LOL The other type of book I have by my bed is one that needs to get read soon. The drawer of the nightstand contains books from friends who have lent the books to me and need them returned (they're safe there) and BookCrossing books that I really want to read soon. Putting them by my bed means I see them at least twice a day and can't avoid them. Current book by my bed is... from the library. Oops. That also doesn't fit that strategy. Or does it? I have to return the book to the library (it's got a due date) so it really does need to get read soon. If there's a book I have to read and it's on my iPad, I will read it in bed as well. But I've only actually finished one book that way.



• Craft Room Bathroom- Yeah, I read in the bathroom. You probably do, too. The books I keep in my bathroom are permanent collection books I haven't read yet but really want to read because they'll make me happy. Those books are usually short and light and fun--typically, this means television tie-in novels. Current books in my bathroom are the Star Wars Jedi Apprentice series. I'm on book 2 of 20. I've got a ways to go yet.



• Love (my car)- I listen to audiobooks in my car almost all the time. I don't listen if I'm in an area I don't know and need all my concentration (and my GPS) to navigate. I also can't listen if I have a story going on in my head, because I'll tune out the book and just listen to the characters in my head instead and that defeats the purpose. My favorite things to read in the car are young adult fiction (occasionally more grown-up juvie fiction), because they're fun and easy and short enough that I can finish them usually before they're due (discs are usually anywhere from 6 to 15 in a set, and I don't have a long commute). I also really love earreading Stephen King books in the car. There's something about the mix of action and description and their pacing that works perfectly for me when I'm driving. In the car, I also like to earread books that I don't have a hope of making it through if they weren't on audio--books that I really want to read or need to read for a book discussion group, for example, or books that are super long and I know it will take me half a year to make it through if they were put in the "by my bed" place. Sometimes it requires renewing them at the library a few times. But I like to earread BookCrossing books from audio bookboxes, because I can take my time with them (no due date) and get them read. I'm a captive audience, so it's a good place to read books I wouldn't read otherwise. But the book has to be interesting so that it doesn't put me to sleep on long drives, which is why YA and Stephen King books are my staple in the car. Current book in my car is YA; I'm on my last disc, and a BookCrossing book is up next.



• At Work- a few times a year, I have a project at work that requires a few hours at a time of data entry or photo editing--jobs that I can do without much thought in words in my head. So I can earread books on audio on my computer while I do those. Most of the time, I download the books on overdrive, make a start on them, and then something comes up at work and I never finish them. Or I'll realize I can't follow the book at work because I can't hear female narrator voices very well at work on low volume (I can't wear headphones or earbuds at work). Occasionally, I get a book done at work. Current book I have downloaded is YA, but I also like earreading mysteries or thrillers there.



• The Allergist's Office-I get allergy shots every Thursday. After I get the shot, I must stay in the office for 20 minutes to be sure I don't have a reaction. So that's 20 minutes of solid reading time. Okay, sometimes I fall asleep. And sometimes I watch "Chopped" on the TV there. (Sometimes, all three). But I do get a bit of reading done there, and I enjoy being forced to sit somewhere and read. This book lives in my car, so I have it if I ever need a book because I pull into a place too early or something. Usually the book I choose for this is something I don't mind being seen reading in public and something that I want to read and make progress on but that is okay to read in small bursts. Current book in my car that I read there is one that has been lent to me by a friend and I am nearly finished with.



• My Computer- I read lots of fanfiction on my computer. I prefer short fics and/or one shots, because those are easier to sit down and read on the monitor screen. Longer fics can be wonderfully rewarding, but I read slowly and suddenly, 6 hours of my life have passed and I'm still sitting at my computer, reading the same story.



• The Metro- I take the Metro into DC or Maryland maybe once every couple months, on average. I always take along a book with me (even if I'm sure I'm going to sleep a little anyway, as I'll be able to read some of it at least--I hate being anywhere without something to read if I have time to read)! I usually don't take library books, but I might take the book by my bed, because it's one that needs to be read soon and before others. Sometimes, though, I'll just bring whatever I grab off my shelves and think I'll like at the moment. I almost always put the book in a ziplock bag to keep it safe in case it rains or moisture from my water bottle in my backpack accumulates. I don't have a commute that involves the Metro, so I'm usually going into DC for an event or to visit a museum.



• The Middle of the Children's Section in the Library- If I pass an interesting-looking picture book, I will absolutely stop and stand and read it. I've tried grabbing them to take with me to read at home or to read in the backroom, but they don't get read. And picture books are fast. So I just do it then and there. Usually ones I read are ones that have beautiful, eye-catching artwork or titles with words that mean something to me (like badger; I think I've read most of the badger-related picture books in our collection now). Sometimes, I'll give up on a book if I start leafing through and it's not what I thought it should be. But usually they're fun and quick and worth a good, immediate read.



• Trip Transit (plane/train)- The last few long trips I've been on (where the travel time was 8 hours or more to get to the destination) I've read Xanthe fanfics. They're usually pretty long (novel-length) and easy to download onto my laptop or iPad. They're not the sort of thing I'd necessarily want the person sitting next to me to see me reading. But they're a tradition now whenever I go on a long trip. I pretty much read my way through the same 6 or 7 of them over and over again. I have some of them in zine format that are my bedtime reading whenever I'm in the mood or I've started one on a trip and want to continue reading it or others like it when I get home.

So those are my reading habits. I'd love to hear about yours!

Comments

[melydia.livejournal.com]

I generally only have two books going at a time: one audio and one regular.

The audio goes fairly quickly since my commute is so long (I have to change discs at least once a day), but I prefer books that have lively narrators so I don't get bored and sleepy. The object is to make my commute less boring, after all. :) I used to limit myself to thrillers and other light fare but I've since found it to be a great way to catch up on those books I want to have read but know I'll never pick up and slog through with my own two eyes.

I'd say about 99% of my audiobooks come from the library. The others are either won in online contests or passed along through BookCrossing (and then passed along/back to you for bookboxes).

The paper book is primarily read in bed (I read 15-20 minutes each night, and have gotten to the point that if I don't read before bed I have trouble falling asleep, no matter how tired I am). I carry it with me if I'm going somewhere I might have to wait, like the doctor's office, but otherwise it lives on my nightstand.

I also have a book that lives in my bathroom. I try to keep only books that are easy to pick up and put down, like collections of random trivia or super-short stories, since it will often be weeks or even months in between readings.