When do you read? How do you read? How much do you read?

[darkemeralds]

I'm at a crossroads. No, not the demon-summoning kind. I have almost completely lost the ability to sit and read, but I want to read.

For a few years it was just books, while I was still readily able to enjoy masses of fic, and ebooks, on a portable device. Regardless of format/medium, I still loved losing myself in a story.

Now it's everything. I can't seem to sit and read anymore.

The internet is largely to blame: I recognize its adverse impact on my attention span, and that impact seems to be extreme in my case. I also acknowledge that in swapping an hour's daily commute by bus for the same commute by bike, I've exchanged one of my best reading moments for an exercise moment.

But it's not just about time. I have more time, because I've cut television hours down to two or three a week; my day to day life is pretty orderly, and frankly I pay people to do the time-consuming stuff I don't like; I need the same amount of sleep I've always needed; and my social life has taken no extraordinary leaps.

So

• Do you read books? In what formats?
• How would you describe your relationship to reading?
• How much do you read--hours per week, books per month, however you measure it?
• When? Under what circumstances?
• Is there something you specifically don't do to make time for reading?
• Have you noticed a decline in attention--in the ability to sit and read? And if so, how do you deal with it?

I'd really like to know.

Comments

[layne67]

I read, a lot! I remember reading everything and anything when I was small, and I LOVE books. I love the old-fashion books, nothing like the feel of paper between your hands, still can't get into Kindles and such, and I can't read from the tiny screens of handphones! I used to read magazines too ( front to back, the editorials, the ads! ) but I no longer have the time for that.

If I could, I'd read all day long lol. As it is, I read when I'm waiting in line at the banks etc, I read when eating, I read just before going to sleep. I draw the line at reading in the toilets though lol.

It used to be one book every three days or so but since I discovered fanfics on the internet, my time for book-reading has sadly decreased, but that doesn't stop me from buying books!

[darkemeralds]

It seems very nearly unanimous: those who still read, read a lot of fanfic where books used to be, and nearly everyone will admit to reading less than they used to. It doesn't surprise me that my flist is composed of serious, committed readers, though.

I'm wondering if I'll transition back through fanfic to books, or what. Since posting this, I've decided to commit to reading fifteen minutes a day for pleasure. Doesn't have to be a paper book or even a published book, but glancing distractedly through a short fic on someone's LJ doesn't count. It has to be reading.

So far, I've managed two days out of three. I'm not sure it's recoverable.