I used to be extremely rigid about certain aspects of reading.
And, I know many of you are rigid about certain aspects of reading too.
It has taken me decades, but I've become much more flexible and relaxed about my reading habits. I hope you'll find my five personal reading rules helpful, and I hope they might give you permission to become more relaxed in your reading as well.
1. The 20 pages or 1/3 rule
If I pick up a book and the first 20 pages don't hold my attention or make me want to keep reading, I allow myself to quit and move on to another book. If I make it past 1/3 of the book, but my attention starts to fade, I also allow myself to put the book down and move on.
Admittedly, I would love to allow myself to quit a book at any point, but I'm finding that 2/3 of the way through my current book, I'm not willing to quit. My current book has taken some turns that I've really not liked and that have made me question if I should keep reading. The first 20 pages and the first 1/3 captured my attention and I was enjoying it until about 2/3 of the way through.
Of course, these are just guidelines and we should all feel free to quit a book whenever we just aren't interested anymore.
2. It's ok to stop reading mid-chapter
You have permission to stop reading mid-chapter. I have several friends who won't allow themselves to stop reading mid-chapter. For some, it's about continuity and having a natural stopping point. For a few, it's a mental block and a bit of a compulsion that they must stop only between chapters.
I make good use of bookmarks specifically so I can stop reading mid-chapter, but I also use page flags or sticky notes to mark the specific line on the page where I'm stopping.
One of my friends only reads books with shorter chapters so that she knows she can easily finish a chapter before she stops reading -- some of my favorite books have had lengthy chapters and I would have missed out if I'd given up on them because of an "I must finish this chapter" mentality.
3. It's ok to skip "classics"
Read what you want. You don't have to read classics or what someone else thinks counts as good literature. I love contemporary fiction and don't want to set that aside because someone else thinks a different set of books have more value because they are considered classics.
4. Move while reading, if you want to
I love to read while I walk. I find it calming and leisurely. Of course, it's not always safe, but when it is safe, it's one of my favorite pleasures in life.
As a private tutor, most of my reading students have done best if they've been allowed to move while reading. Some might need to walk in circles around their bedroom. Some might need to bounce on the balls of their feet. Others might benefit most from sitting on an exercise ball. Some benefit from sitting in chairs that move (wobble chairs, rocking chairs, etc.).
5. Shop independent whenever possible
Although I occasionally link to Amazon when blogging about various books, I truly love to shop at independent bookstores. Seek out your community's independent book shops or buy from my favorite shops online (none of these are sponsored, nor are they affiliate links):
The Bookshop, Nashville, TN
Vintage Books, Vancouver, WAWhite Oak Books, Vancouver, WACapital Books, Sacramento, CAMaggie Mae's, Gresham, OR
Ultimately, I don't believe there should be rules around reading for your own pleasure or your own knowledge. Read what you want, when you want, how you want.
What are your personal reading rules?
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