How to Choose the Right Books for You: why do you read?

This question stemmed from my mini reading rut that I’m in. I am considering DNF-ing another book and I really don’t know what I want to read next that will engage me for the length of a book.

Am I just too impatient and don’t give a book enough time to get good?

Do I even know my own reading tastes?

Am I a mood reader but my mood changes too frequently?

I don’t know!

Whether to read a book or not. Buy it or not. Finish it or not. It all may come down to this key question: why do you read?

So, why do I read?

Entertainment and escape

One of the first reasons why I read is to escape. Just like my writing, diving into another world in a way that’s more immersive than television is exciting for me. It’s therapeutic. I think I like fantasy for this reason. The chance to imagine something that’s impossible in our world. To have a whole new world brought to life. Seeing how magic can be used. It’s fun!

I also really want more books that make me laugh. I can’t remember the last time one made me laugh. One where I feel the characters are like friends, people I’m sharing a good time with.

Education

I do enjoy learning things from what I read. Not just non-fiction but books set in other countries or that tell me random cool facts. I like learning things I would have no other way of knowing. Of course, Reading also teaches you new words.

Depth and emotion

I think one of my favourite things from reading is getting deep. I love emotional rides. Deep, provocative language. Social issues, family, humanity and truth on a deep level. The human condition exploration with heart. I like caring deeply about a character and the struggle they are facing. Perhaps what I read needs to be linked to personal issues I’ve faced, too.

Relaxation

I mostly read before bed and so I find it relaxing. It’s a great way to wind down. To switch off the noise of the World. As I said before, it’s therapeutic. It’s a gentle, slower hobby.

Better as a writer

And lastly, reading is part of making me a better writer. Sort of studying the thing I’m hoping to emulate.

So what does this all mean in terms of my reading tastes? What should I be reading and what should I avoid?

The genres I’ve enjoyed in the past are:

Middle grade fantasy ThrillersContemporary dramas Adult fantasy (low-mid)Literary Translations from other languages and set in other countries Dystopians Horror Cosy low fantasy

What I need to do, and will share when I’ve done it, is go through the last few years and see my highest rated books. That way, I can analyse which genres, lengths, mood etc I like the most.

Some books may sound interesting but they’re not the kind to grip me. Or maybe it would be something I’d enjoy watching but not reading. Or would only enjoy as an audiobook, which is a different experience than reading from a book itself.

The next thing to ask yourself is what do you like in general? What makes you passionate? What are you interested in? These could be the kind of books you need to seek out.

Some things I like or am passionate about:

AnimalsPhilosophy Psychology Slower, intentional living (off the grid, no hustle city culture) Foreign languages Other cultures very different from my own, particularly some Asian cultural practices I’ve heard about (really want to go to Japan!) Writing Books Anime and animations Fandoms and pop culture Travel Yoga, meditation and spirituality Cooking and baking Witchcraft and dark magic Social justice, especially belonging and freedom of identity

Perhaps I need to spend some time getting a list together of books that feature these things. I usually look for books by genre or tropes but I’ve (perhaps stupidly) never thought to search for books about things I already have an interest in.

Things that could effect your reading tastes Book length GenreAge group/ target audience Mood (emotional, reflective, dark, light, funny, informative etc) (StoryGraph is good for this)Personality of main characters How many main characters Tense (past, present, future)Point of view narrator (first, second, third) Character driven or plot drivenFlowery literary prose or more simplisticHeavy on exposition and world building or loose Hardback, paperback, ebook or audiobook preference Line spacing, amount of words on a page, images, fonts Length of chapters / parts

Now that I think about it more deeply, there’s so much that goes into reading and what we may or may not enjoy. Sadly, especially if you’re a new reader, it will take a lot of trial and error to find what we enjoy the most. This is why tracking your reading is so important. Those stats and how you felt and defining exactly what put you off and why can help you make better reading decisions.

Good luck to us wannabe readers!

Sincerely,

S. xx