Reading Hacks - part 2
Let’s get back into reading hacks and what additional tips and tricks one can try, based on my experience!
And please, let me highlight - once again - that if you are happy with your current reading, there is no need to test different things and approaches. If you are content with your reading experience, please, do not feel any pressure to try any of the ideas out we discuss here.
With that said, if you would like to experiment, please let me know in the comments down below what might be useful and what is not; and, if you tested different tricks, feel free to share them down below!
The hacks that I want to cover today focus on the amount of books and the type of books to read at the same time.
Sometimes (and you might related to it), I am not connecting with a book. It just does not work for me; often times, the reason for this disconnect is associated with my state of mind; I am not ready to experience the book the way that the book deserves (and yes, sometimes the reason is the book itself).
When I go through this phase, I shake things around. The first step is to start another book . This trick usually helps me diversify the books portfolio I am reading; sometimes this results in finishing the new book before I return to the first one. Sometimes this results in reading both books at the same time. Sometimes it starts a trickle that becomes a river of books that make me forget the first one I left behind. And that process is perfectly fine too. This allows me to understand if the first book is something I really want to experience.
This leads to the second suggestions of this list, which includes DNF’ing a book (DNF stands for do not finish). Now, I struggle with this one a lot; there are a few things that go into it, from the investment that I made in buying the book (and/or the audio), to not letting the author down because I do not think I can get through it; plus, and probably the worst reaction for me is that I feel that I am letting myself down for not finishing the book.
With that said, it is also healthy to move on when the book does not work. Now, what I like to do is to “soft” DNF books, meaning that I like to think that I will get back to them. And sometimes I actually do, I return back to them. In full transparency, more often than not, I do not return to them; mostly because there is too little time, too much to read. Which is okay, this process allows me to actually separate the books that I want to read and the books that I do not care so much about reading in the end.
An additional hack can be split in a couple different versions of the suggestion.
The first version is to read a few books at the same time. This is connected with the fact that I tend to be bored quickly; the ability to move around a few different books at the same time makes me feel like I make progress. It sounds counterintuitive really but a chapter here and a chapter there, makes me feel the progress. With that said, sometimes I focus only on one read until it is done.
The other version of this hack is to read different genres at the same time. Part of it is due to the fact that I need (as in, I want to need) to take notes while reading fantasy and that, while I am walking and reading a book, I need something “lighter” to read. So I get usually have a few things going on at the same time: I usually have a classic (to read before the end of the day), I read one or two fantasy books (or historical fiction) at the same time and I tend to have an action and/or thriller going on. It feels like it is a lot to juggle at the same time but it really is not; this works for me and it has been a process of fine tuning for a long while.
On a different note, one of the things that I dread the most is having to pick the next read. Sometimes, this decision is flawless. Other times, this decision requires a few hours. I have a few ways to look at this process: sometimes I have a pool of books to choose from (and yet, I still struggle with the decision; in some occasions, I ask my partner to choose the read for me, based on a few sentences description I give him); sometimes I just really want to start a new series or experience a new author and I cannot stop myself, even if this is not the smart move (adding a new series to my ongoing series). If you have any suggestions about how to manage this process, I am more than happy to read and experience your suggestions! Feel free to comment down below; in fact, please do so!
Finally, in connection with the choice of books / the amount of books one is reading, an important process that helped me move on and get more reading is reading so called palate cleansers. This eating metaphor (like ginger in sushi meals) refers to books that can provide a reset; these books look differently for each of us. In other words, the same book might not be a palate cleanser for all. This is a book that usually requires less mental power to get through it or it is uplifting and makes you excited about reading. For me, Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames is a perfect example of this, as it got me incredibly excited about a self-contained story. Sometimes, the cleansing comes from a different medium, from big and small screen, manga and comics.
All in all, this becomes a very personal process so you should find what works for you. Nobody else can tell you and that is the beauty of this process; this is you and only you. And you can have a ton of fun experimenting!
What are you suggestions on reading hacks? Is there any other suggestion that you would like to share with others? I am more than happy to read and experience your recommendations!
