E. G. Bella

Happy Friday!

And also, happy National Grammar Day! (Everyone’s favorite holiday, right?)

I have yet another blog tag to share today, and this one looks like a really fun one! (Which is also my way of justifying my theft of it, haha). I found this tag on Quirky Pages, and as she technically did tag anyone who wanted to participate, I’m going to say it counts.

It seems like something as simple as reading would be pretty straightforward, but I’m always fascinated by the differences in how people read. I personally think my reading habits are pretty boring, but I guess we’ll see. And if you feel like talking about your own habits, stay tuned to the end, because I’d love to learn about yours too!

Do you have a certain place at home for reading?

Nope, anywhere is fair game! My house and bedroom have changed enough over the years that I’ve never had one set ‘reading spot’. My bed, my desk, the dining room table, the couch…anywhere without a lot of other stuff going on. If I can focus, I’m happy, haha.

Bookmark or random piece of paper?

Actually, neither! Honestly, I’ve only used bookmarks on special occasions. Most of the time I just stop reading and go back to find my place the next time I pick it up. I think it’s part laziness (because I rarely have good bookmarks around), and partially me figuring that if I don’t remember where I was in the story, I should go back until I remember and reread anyway.

(That said, my most unique bookmark usage was a movie ticket stub. I forgot I stuck it in the book and found it again rereading about four years later! And no, I wasn’t reading during the movie, haha. It was just the nearest material later, at home.)

Can you just stop reading or do you have to stop after a chapter/a certain amount of pages?

Usually I can stop anywhere. If I’m not under time pressures, I’ll try to stop at the end of a chapter or scene break just for the sake of it though. And if it’s a rare book that’s keeping me thoroughly engrossed and I have the time, I’ve been known to read the whole story in one sitting. No need to find a good place to stop, haha!

Do you eat or drink while reading?

Only if I have to – meaning if the only time I have to read that day is during meals (and I’m by myself for them). And in that case, I still only do drinks in a closed-top water bottle because I’m way too paranoid about spilling. But if I have time to read that’s not during meals, I prefer to just give the book my full attention, and not even risk a mess.

Multitasking- Music or TV while reading?

It depends on what I want to focus on. If I want to remember the book and other media, then no. I just can’t focus on that much stimulation at once. But if I don’t care to focus on the movie or music, I can usually tune them out and read with it in the background. In general though, when I’m reading, I prefer just to read – and stick with some soft ambience music if I’m feeling fancy.

One book at a time or several at once?

Several. I usually have one fiction and one non-fiction in progress at any given time, although often I’ll have more than that. It just depends on which books they are, and also whether I’m supposed to be reading certain ones for learning, in addition to the ones I choose for myself. I don’t usually have a problem switching between books.

Reading at home or everywhere?

This is tricky. Home is my preference, but I also do read other places too. Reading in moving vehicles makes me carsick however, and if I’m away from home to do something with others, then of course I’m going to be fully present with them, and not read. So it’s mostly just if I’m waiting on someone. And as I’m mostly keeping a full schedule and driving myself places nowadays, the majority of my reading is done at home when I make time for it.

Reading out loud or silently in your head?

Unless I’m trying to edit one of my own novels or reading to little siblings, I read in my head. I read in my head much faster than I do out loud, and I also tend to go through books while others are around and can hear me. So, for me, it just works better to read silently.

Do you read ahead or even skip pages?

Guilty. I’ll confess to skipping pages of description or even some pages at the beginning of a story if it’s not holding my attention but I want to read the book anyway. Typically, I’ll get glued partway through, and then afterward I can go back. But yes, I’ve definitely been known to skim or skip ahead if I’m not staying interested. I’ve also been known to read the ending of a book if I’m trying to decide whether to get it from the library, haha.

Breaking the spine or keeping it like new?

Nope, I haven’t ever purposely broken the spine of a book. I know books are only things, but I still can’t make myself damage them like that. I’ve read too many where the spines have been cracked and the pages are falling out and . . . to me, it’s just a frustrating mess at that point.

Do you write in your books?

Similar to the last question, I have a very hard time making any changes to books. I’ve never written in any fiction books (although I am still considering scribbling out some swear words in a couple so I can lend them to younger siblings), and I’ve only highlighted in one non-fiction book. And the only reason I let myself do that was because I had two copies of the same book, so I felt like it was ‘safe’, haha. I don’t have anything against people who write in books, I just haven’t found a good enough reason to do it myself yet.

Technically, I think I’m supposed to tag more people, but because I love hearing about others’ reading habits, I’m going to leave this open for anyone and everyone who feels like sharing. So if you want to join in, I officially tag YOU! And if you don’t have/don’t want to use a blog, feel free to just let me know your answers in the comments. I’d love to hear from you!

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