What I Learned From My First Read-a-Long #sundayshorts

As I posted earlier in the week, this week I had decided to take part in a read-a-long with Cabin Goddess, Alchemy of Scrawl and several members of The Indie Exchange. Right now, I’m still digesting my thoughts on the book itself but here are some things I learned from the experience.

Five plus points to taking part in a read-a-long

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

You can clarify your own thoughts

I already knew this from chatting with people in the past but how often do you get to sit down with 5-10 people and all share your viewpoints on the highs and lows? This was a really enjoyable part of the experience for me, especially when I first finished the book and was trying to get my thoughts in order.

Talking about a book can help you feel less of a flake

If there’s a part of a book you love for a very fickle reason, it can be very reassuring to hear that people love it for the same reasons!

Talking about a book can help you feel less of a bitch

Hung up on something tiny? Feel like you’re being incredible picky? Hearing 3-4 people are getting caught on exactly the same point can help reassure you that you’re not being unnecessarily nasty.

Being part of a read-a-long can spur you on or give you a sense of relief

If you know 10 other people are reading a book and you suddenly realise you’re 5-6 chapters behind, it can be a real incentive to catch up and stay focused. Alternatively, if you suddenly realise you’re 5-6 chapters ahead, you can go and have a glass of wine and a bath and enjoy some peace!

You can really get to know a person’s reading side

I took part in a read-a-long with a very eclectic group of readers. It’s rare that we’re ever reading the same books at the same time, so it’s hard to pin down common ground. When it came to the read-a-long, however, I was stunned to find that we were very very similar in both our praise and criticisms. As a result, I believe that despite our differences, I’ll pay a little more heed to recommendations in future!

Have you taken part in a read-a-long?What did you learn from it?

 

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What I Learned From My First Read-a-Long #sundayshorts | Thank you for reading Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave