ROTW Special: Reader Tips!

In this week’s Reader of the Week slot I’m doing something a little different, and revisiting all of my former ‘readers’. Since its launch Reader of the Week has now featured 15 readers all of whom I have the utmost respect and admiration for, well with the exception of one of course i.e. myself ). So rather than let all of these amazing readers fade into obscurity, I thought I’d revive them and feature them all en masse, and reprint one of the most important questions I asked all of them – What single piece of advice (or tip) would you give to fellow readers?

Reader #1: Krista (featured August 16 2008) – “Since joining several online book/reading groups, I’ve been introduced to fellow readers and new authors, and I’ve been exposed to different kinds of work. The reading/writing community, in general, is brimming with very generous and genuine people (just remember to return their books!) – reach out to them!”

Reader #2: Linda M Au (featured August 23 2008) – “Pleasure reading improves your vocabulary, expands your world, opens up new possibilities — all from the comfort and safety of your own favorite places on Earth. I consider time spent reading as an investment. Sometimes while I’m reading I can almost feel my brain cells plumping up and overflowing with readerly goodness. (Okay, either I’m exaggerating there, or that accounts for the accusations of a swelled head.)

My daughter and I both realized at about the same time that, no matter how long we live, there will never be nearly enough time to read everything we want to read. Never—not even if we lived to be 100 and never had to work and hooked ourselves up to catheters and IVs. We couldn’t decide if that frustrated us … or delighted us. Probably a little of both.”

Reader #3: Kathleen (featured August 30 2008) – “Join a book group or book club where you can enthuse about books with others whom you would not necessarily have met otherwise …this ensures you read outside of your comfort zone. If you cannot meet in person try an online one.”

Reader #4: Mark Chambers (featured September 06 2008) – “Join many libraries. They are a much underused resource in the UK at present and they are they best place for books. It is free to join and they have almost any book you would want to read. If they don’t have it, they will buy it so you can read it, for a small fee, but nowhere near the cost of buying the book. They have Reading groups, Writing groups, Discussion groups, free PC access so you can look up recommendations on Amazon or The Guardian Online….seriously join many libraries. Take your kids there. Meet your friends there. Make it a normal part of your child’s life. Please.”

Reader #5: Steve Brannon (featured September 15 2008) – “Good writing has cadence, tone, and timbre. Listen for it. Slow down and hear the words. If the words aren’t enjoyable, if they lack music, seek out writing that has the music.

I don’t understood the desire to speed read, unless you are reading poor writing. And why in the world are you wasting your time reading junk? Some popular fiction is more concerned with moving the story or an idea than how the story is told and the development of the characters. Those books are faster reads; not every sentence is honed. I’m not saying that one is better than the other, just different. Okay, that’s a cop-out. They are clunkers.

Last, and this tip can be taken however anyone wants to take it, do. Read the books you’ve been meaning to read, write the books you been meaning to write. Whatever you do, DO it–unless you have homicidal tendencies, then DON’T.

I read an obituary several years ago. The obituary stated that the guy enjoyed watching television. Gulp. Don’t be that guy.”

Reader #6: Robert Burdock (featured September 23 2008) – “Turn off the TV and unplug from the Internet once in a while. We all spend waaaaay too much time watching mindless TV or surfing pointless websites. Get away from these things and see how much time you can gain for some serious reading, time that is so much better spent.

Also speak to other readers, as often as you can. This of course involves plugging back into the Internet, which totally contradicts my first piece of advice, but there is so much value to be gained from speaking to other readers – seeking advice, recommendations, opinions etc. You’ll find that the online reading community is generally an amazing bunch, with most of them being incredibly warm and friendly, intelligent and wholly inspiring.”

Reader #7: Hàìghlèàgh Winslade (featured September 29 2008) – “I find that listening to music when reading can be very inspiring and imaginative right now while writing this reply I am listening to “Causing a Commotion” by Madonna. I have never swapped books – I collect them, but have recently joined the above mentioned U3A reading group. The more you read the more you want to read and learn.”

Reader #8: Brittney Elmer (featured October 06 2008) – “Don’t feel the need to read a book just because it’s popular or on a bestsellers list somewhere. Read what you want and don’t let other people’s choices solely dictate your own.”

Reader #9: Tracy Bryant (featured October 13 2008) – “I would say that the most important advice is to read what you really want to, not what other people think you should. Life is short; follow your passion.”

Reader #10: Teri Tynes (featured October 20 2008)- “Don’t just pick up the book casually. Pick it up in a deliberate way. Look at it. Think about it. Feel it. Notice the type of paper and the typeset. Open the cover and read what’s on the page you see before you. And turn the page and read what’s there. And then the next, and the next. Love your bookmark.”

Reader #11: Rob Green (featured October 27 2008) - “Don’t be afraid to broaden your reading horizons. I’ve found countless good reads by testing genres I thought I would hate.”

Reader #12: Clare Swindlehurst (featured November 03 2008) – “Join some reading challenges, they’ll introduce you to new books and really put you outside your comfort zone. You never know you may discover a great book or two.”

Reader #13: Debra Hamel (featured November 10 2008) – “I guess it would be, read what you want and don’t be put off by the sort of people who turn up their noses at, say, genre fiction or Harry Potter or Dan Brown. Life is too short, in this and other areas, to worry about what other people find fashionable.”

Reader #14: Gautami Tripathy (featured November 17 2008) – “Keep reading. Anything! Everything! Swap books! Mooch books! Beg, borrow or ‘steal’! Read by hook or crook!”

Reader #15: Tammy Millar (featured November 24 2008) – “Take advantage of the Internet. There are so many wonderful resources out there – book clubs, blogs, author and reader interviews, criticism, you name it. My love for books has grown tenfold due to being able to connect with like-minded people and I feel that I get so much more out of the books that I read when I’m able to discuss them with others. It’s a wonderful way to help you see a book in a different light.”