What Kind of Reader Are You?
Sorry for the delay in writing a new blog post here, folks. I'm working on book 3 of the Moonfall Mayhem series, and it's been taking up most of my writing time. Plus we got thirty-one and a half inches of snow here a couple weeks ago, and it took a while to dig out. But it's good to check in on occasion., so here I am.
Lately, I've been contemplating my reading habits and comparing them to those of others. Perhaps somewhat arbitrarily, I've come to the conclusion that there are three basic types of readers: immersive, analytical, and voyeuristic.
This, of course, requires explanation. Immersive readers are people who get enjoyment out of inserting themselves into the story they're reading, or, perhaps a little more clearly, they identify so strongly with the protagonist that they imagine his/her adventures as their own. Immersive readers tend to like stories with a lot of action or romance. They prefer characters that fit a specific set of tropes because the more individualistic a character is, the harder it becomes to project your own personality onto them. Immersive readers read to feel.
Analytical readers are the Sherlock Holmes of the reading world. They delight in trying to puzzle out the ending of a story before reading it. They're the sort who might linger over a particularly well-turned phrase or even stop reading to jot down as few notes as an idea in the text strikes them. Reading becomes a sort of art form. Depending on their personality, they are probably drawn to either the literary fiction or mystery/crime genres. Analytical readers read to think.
The final category, that of the voyeuristic reader, belongs to readers who are particularly drawn to strong, unusual characters or settings. For these readers, reading is not so very different from watching a movie. They don't wish to become the main character, as immersive readers do, but they're more emotionally attached than analytical readers are. Voyeuristic readers read to travel and observe.
I belong to the third category, by the way. And of course there's some overlap between the three; I doubt anyone belongs purely to one category. You might be wondering why it's important or even necessary to break readers into categories. Well, here's the thing. In reading, as in so many things, there's a tendency to elevate one type of reading or literature above the others. Perhaps, for example, you're seen an article chastising adults for reading YA fiction.
Balderdash. Putting aside the fact that Huckleberry Finn, Great Expectations, and The Catcher in the Rye could all be labeled YA, the simple fact is no genre of literature--and make no mistake, literary fiction is a genre--is superior to the other. Separating books into genres is simply a tool to help readers find the kind of book they enjoy. And ultimately, reading fiction should be a pleasure. At its best, reading stimulates eager dialogue among fans and brings people together. "What are you reading?" and "Have you any good books to suggest?" are questions that should bring a smile to people's faces. But that light gets lost if the answer is immediately followed by a sneer and a shut-down. "Oh, you're reading that? I'd never read such tripe."
If you're ever tempted to reply in such a way yourself just . . . no. Remember this post. Remember what I said about the different types of readers. Your friend might be getting an entirely different type of enjoyment out of their reading than you are. Different does not equal lesser. Immersive readers have as much right to the stories they enjoy as voyeuristic ones do. And if your tastes don't match, well, there are different books out there for each of you. Much as there are different genres.
Because, y'know, outside of being readers, we're all different. Isn't that cool?
Chapter four of Hawk and Fox has been posted at www.wordsmeetworld.com. If you haven't been following, I've posted an excerpt of chapter one below so you can see what you're missing.
Chapter 1: Hawk and Fox Awaken
It's cold, was his first thought.
How can I be cold when I don’t have a body? was his second.
Nevertheless, he found himself adrift, rotating slowly through a vast, empty...nothingness. Either his eyes were closed or he had gone blind or there wasn't anything to see.
That makes sense. If I’m surrounded by nothing there must be nothing to see, right? He almost chuckled at the whimsy.
A gust of wind ruffled the hair he couldn’t possess. Come to think of it, he couldn’t have eyes either.
Where am I? he wondered, perhaps suddenly, possibly eons later. Time had ceased to have any coherence. Of course it has. I’m out of time. I died, didn’t I?
Yes, most definitely. Without effort, he recalled the dreadful, internal crack of the length of forged steel breaking his spine and emerging through his back. Looking down, he’d seen a sword hilt planted in his chest; shiny brass, like some absurd doorknob. Rage. Disbelief. The struggle to shout it out, blood gurgling in his lungs. Without warning, his legs buckled. As he slid to the floor, a cry reached his ears, seeming to come from many miles off. Time to think one final thought: Sorry.
Then, he’d--
Died.
End of sample. Intrigued? Come read! Until next time!
Lately, I've been contemplating my reading habits and comparing them to those of others. Perhaps somewhat arbitrarily, I've come to the conclusion that there are three basic types of readers: immersive, analytical, and voyeuristic.
This, of course, requires explanation. Immersive readers are people who get enjoyment out of inserting themselves into the story they're reading, or, perhaps a little more clearly, they identify so strongly with the protagonist that they imagine his/her adventures as their own. Immersive readers tend to like stories with a lot of action or romance. They prefer characters that fit a specific set of tropes because the more individualistic a character is, the harder it becomes to project your own personality onto them. Immersive readers read to feel.
Analytical readers are the Sherlock Holmes of the reading world. They delight in trying to puzzle out the ending of a story before reading it. They're the sort who might linger over a particularly well-turned phrase or even stop reading to jot down as few notes as an idea in the text strikes them. Reading becomes a sort of art form. Depending on their personality, they are probably drawn to either the literary fiction or mystery/crime genres. Analytical readers read to think.
The final category, that of the voyeuristic reader, belongs to readers who are particularly drawn to strong, unusual characters or settings. For these readers, reading is not so very different from watching a movie. They don't wish to become the main character, as immersive readers do, but they're more emotionally attached than analytical readers are. Voyeuristic readers read to travel and observe.
I belong to the third category, by the way. And of course there's some overlap between the three; I doubt anyone belongs purely to one category. You might be wondering why it's important or even necessary to break readers into categories. Well, here's the thing. In reading, as in so many things, there's a tendency to elevate one type of reading or literature above the others. Perhaps, for example, you're seen an article chastising adults for reading YA fiction.
Balderdash. Putting aside the fact that Huckleberry Finn, Great Expectations, and The Catcher in the Rye could all be labeled YA, the simple fact is no genre of literature--and make no mistake, literary fiction is a genre--is superior to the other. Separating books into genres is simply a tool to help readers find the kind of book they enjoy. And ultimately, reading fiction should be a pleasure. At its best, reading stimulates eager dialogue among fans and brings people together. "What are you reading?" and "Have you any good books to suggest?" are questions that should bring a smile to people's faces. But that light gets lost if the answer is immediately followed by a sneer and a shut-down. "Oh, you're reading that? I'd never read such tripe."
If you're ever tempted to reply in such a way yourself just . . . no. Remember this post. Remember what I said about the different types of readers. Your friend might be getting an entirely different type of enjoyment out of their reading than you are. Different does not equal lesser. Immersive readers have as much right to the stories they enjoy as voyeuristic ones do. And if your tastes don't match, well, there are different books out there for each of you. Much as there are different genres.
Because, y'know, outside of being readers, we're all different. Isn't that cool?
Chapter four of Hawk and Fox has been posted at www.wordsmeetworld.com. If you haven't been following, I've posted an excerpt of chapter one below so you can see what you're missing.
Chapter 1: Hawk and Fox Awaken
It's cold, was his first thought.
How can I be cold when I don’t have a body? was his second.
Nevertheless, he found himself adrift, rotating slowly through a vast, empty...nothingness. Either his eyes were closed or he had gone blind or there wasn't anything to see.
That makes sense. If I’m surrounded by nothing there must be nothing to see, right? He almost chuckled at the whimsy.
A gust of wind ruffled the hair he couldn’t possess. Come to think of it, he couldn’t have eyes either.
Where am I? he wondered, perhaps suddenly, possibly eons later. Time had ceased to have any coherence. Of course it has. I’m out of time. I died, didn’t I?
Yes, most definitely. Without effort, he recalled the dreadful, internal crack of the length of forged steel breaking his spine and emerging through his back. Looking down, he’d seen a sword hilt planted in his chest; shiny brass, like some absurd doorknob. Rage. Disbelief. The struggle to shout it out, blood gurgling in his lungs. Without warning, his legs buckled. As he slid to the floor, a cry reached his ears, seeming to come from many miles off. Time to think one final thought: Sorry.
Then, he’d--
Died.
End of sample. Intrigued? Come read! Until next time!
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