Breaking the Reading Habit (and Other Critical Mistakes)

[lydamorehouse]

I’ve been asked what I’m reading currently by the people at the two different groups I attended (The romance readers at MoA and the Second Foundation folks). I haven’t been reading much of anything, and that’s something I hate to admit. I haven’t been in the mood for anything more strenuous than crossword puzzles or Tetris. However, the MoA folks gave me a gift certificate for showing up at their group and I used it to buy Elizabeth Bear’s CARNIVAL (Bantam), which made the Philip K. Dick award nominees.

Previous to that I started (but didn’t finish) C. E. Murphy’s URBAN SHAMAN (Luna), and Rachel Caine’s GLASS HOUSES: MORGANVILLE VAMPIRES Book I (NAL Jam – their YA imprint). I may go back to Caine’s book at some point because I’m very fond of her Weather Warden series (or at least I was up until ILL WIND (Roc), I haven’t read HEAT STROKE because I’m afraid their won’t be enough David for my taste.)

I would actually like to task myself to read all of the nominees for the PKDA. Even though it was a ridiculous amount of work for someone with dyslexia, I really loved being on the PKDA committee because it forced me not to waste my free time on Tetris and such like. I had to carve out time to read, the way I currently have to carve out time to write.

I miss reading.

And, worse, I think I’ve gotten so out of the habit of reading that I’ve lost my staying power. I’ve started way more books this year than I finished. And it wasn’t because the books weren’t any good – most of them simply went back on my to be read pile. I suspect the problem is that I’ve gotten used to a life interrupted by Mason and such, and I have forgotten how to read in the little snippets of time that I have available.

Do you think it’s possible to fall out of the habit of reading? How should I get back into it? Any ideas?

Comments

[naomikritzer]

It is hard to find time to read to yourself with a small child. If I sit down with a book, Kiera immediately thinks, "Oh hey, good idea!" and brings over a stack of her books for me to read to her. It's one of those requests that's really hard to say no to.

[seanmmurphy.livejournal.com]

I can't comment as to how it is with a small child, but I certainly concur that it is possible to fall out of the habit of reading. When I'm writing gangbusters, I often don't have time to read, even though I know that I work better when I am reading. But my pages per minute rate goes way down, and until I get used to reading again, it doesn't pick up. I tend to go through cycles of reading/not reading.

But I've never been a very good reader in short spans, because I go inside a story when I'm reading it, and I get very bitchy when I have to shift my world too many times. I want time to sink inside a world, let it roll over me and subsume me, and then live in it for a while. I don't want to get in my bathing suit, grab my towel, head for the pool, and start dipping my toes in the water, only to be told that we don't have time for a swim. That sucks, so I don't do it.

I am learning (slowly, in fits and starts) to learn to read before bed. It doesn't make me sleepy (in fact, I get lost in the story and often find that I've stayed up later than I meant to), but it does give me a block of time to read where I won't be interrupted.

[tacithydra.livejournal.com]

I know when I get moshed by everything and lose track of the reading for a couple of months, I've found the best way for me to get back into it is:

1) Pick one fiction book (I find them more addictive than non-fiction), preferably paperback (and thus easily transportable).
2) Jam it in my purse or backpack.
3) Read it in line, in traffic jams, for a few minutes at work, waiting for meetings, stirring stuff I'm cooking, etc.

Basically, I set it as the default thing I do when I have snatches of time that I'd otherwise spend daydreaming or cycling down for a few minutes. It gets my mind into the habit of thinking, "Oooo, book?" whenever I've got a few spare moments, rather than, "Mmmm, daydream."

Your mileage may vary, but I find having the book around me all the time is a big help, because it always comes easily to hand.

[swords-and-pens.livejournal.com]

I pretty much have to schedule reading into my day. It's not a conscious thing, so much as a habit. Usually, it is right before bed, but that sometimes fails too if Jamie has gone to bed before I have.

Also, there is fitting in the stuff for the Wyrdsmiths. Sometimes it's hard to fit time for both "working" reading and "relaxtion" reading with a kid. This is why I keep advocating we get back to a set schedule for handing out in the group, rather than handing out "as person X produces", since that can result in floods of material if we have multiple Xs at one time.

But getting back on topic...

I think you may need to make a definite effort to carve out a niche for reading each day, even if it's only a little bit. It may take some determination at first, but once you get in the habit, I suspect you'll get your reading chops back.

The other thing, and what I have been finding to be more of a hurdle for me lately, is finding something I actually *want* to read. I'm a pickier reader than I used to be, and fewer books really grab me. I think you've commented on this, too. One way I have been countering it is to read more non-fiction -- especially history. However, that also means I tend to be in my "fiction mind" less often, which (I think) impacts my productivity.

So, in a sense, I am in the same boat as you: I need to read more, but I need it to be fiction. Maybe we can start a support group or something? ;p

Reading

[holy-toledo.livejournal.com]

Reading is a dangerous thing, since I find it impossible not to be lost in the fog during and afterward for days. I'm working now, so I'm not reading so much, but I remember reading for class and balancing that with work, and the trick is always having YOU time. Time when your family knows you are not to be disturbed, because you will be reading and/or writing and/or vegging. It's your time to decompress. You can't ever lose that time, not for anything. Never think it's just an "extra." It's clinically proven to be important to your sanity.

But, other than that, I don't have any good advice.

-Mel

[allochthon.livejournal.com]

I’ve started way more books this year than I finished. And it wasn’t because the books weren’t any good – most of them simply went back on my to be read pile.

This is very true for me as well. And they are books I like. When I'm actually reading them, I'm engrossed. It's just that it doesn't occur to me to pick them up again. Or I look at them and go "ehn."

Weird.

[(Anonymous)]

I often fall out of the habit of reading, because as an overworked college student with somewhat of a social life, my time gets flung in every direction. I started reading again by keeping it short--like 10-20 minutes before I go to bed.
-Allie

[lydamorehouse]

Alas, I write before bed. It's the only time I have for uninterupted writing time (hence blogging now, which can be easily interrupted.)

[lydamorehouse]

Great advice -- alas, as a stay-at-home parent there's not a lot of down time. If I'm standing in a line anywhere, I usually have my hands occupied keeping track of Mason.

And, I knew there was a reason I should carry a purse (curse my lesbian aversion to purses!) :-)

However, I do think there is something here I can use. Just carrying around a book (even from room to room as I chase Mason around) might help remind me that I want to read. There are occassional down times (although clearly I use them to do other things, like reply to this...)

[lydamorehouse]

You're gonna hate me tonight... I think I'm handing out 30 pages. :-)

[lydamorehouse]

Yeah, what's up with that. That's totally the way I've been.

[lydamorehouse]

I don't think I read a single piece of fiction that wasn't required the entire time I was an English major (except during the summer, when I'd go on a rampage -- one summer I tried to read every post-apocalyptic book on the market.)

Anyway, I think being a student excuses you.

[tacithydra.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I overwhelmed my lesbian aversion to purses by sending my geeky desire to packrat after it. So now I'm one of those people with giant purses carrying around my wallet, my cellphone, a book, some flashcards, pens, some notes about something other, asprin, etc. My shoulder hates me for it.

And yeah, I think the main thing is just upping the default setting for 'read' in your brain. Carrying around the book is a great way to do that, because there it is, visually apparent. I've gotten through more books in little dribs and drabs... it's totally doable, as long as you drib/drab a little each day or so.