Hour 16- Tricks to Keep Reading

[Jamie]

We have been doing this readathon thing for more than half a day now, and for those of us who have the option to stay up for the full 24hrs, we are starting to get distracted by our pets, our kids, our blankets, chores, movies, friends, etc. All those things we might otherwise be doing right now are ramping up their siren calls. How do you keep your focus on reading during long readathons?

[Doni]

It helps that I don't usually do readathons, so today's focus on reading is special. But I've enjoyed it so much, I might have to make it a more regular thing.

[Jamie]

This is where my seemingly ridiculously big TBR comes in. If my focus is wandering too much to read a single novel successfully I can try another book for a chapter or two, or even swap through the whole TBR stack reading a chapter in each till my attention is grabbed by something. I always have at least one book of short stories, and a few audiobooks to pick from, and a variety of genres and book lengths. I keep my audiobooks playing at 1.25, 1.3 or 1.5 speed depending on the reader so that their often-slow cadence won't put me to sleep. And, I never listen to audiobooks in the dark anymore during readathons, cause that is a surefire way to doze off.

[Christy]

I'm not doing the full 24 hours in one go (i.e. I slept overnight) but my strategy is to choose books I genuinely feel like reading and to feel free to switch between them or choose something else whenever I want.

[Cynda]

I do not read the full 24 hours. I tried that several times and only succeeded in tormenting myself.. Instead I usually have a bog sleep of up to 6 hours in the middle of the readathon with maybe maybe two 20-minute lie downs. Then I am on an emotional high enough to continue reading for an hour or two after the readathon finishes. Several of us do this extra lap. Like a cool down after a strenuous workout.

[Doni]

Running into a slump and not sure how to re-focus now that it is night...

[Jamie]

I'm also resorting to music starting this hour, when I don't have an audiobook on, and I am pointedly NOT using classical music, not even Russian military stuff. If I am singing along to music while I read, I am still awake. :)

[Cynda]

Doni some sleep and hope to wake up in time to read some more. . . It takes reads threads like this and trying out suggestions before finding out what works. I sleep in the middle of the readathon. It helps me avoid the last few hours of struggle and misery.

There is also another thread earlier today where members talk about what they consider to be a successful readathon. Everyone has their own ideas about what defines their personal success. There you might find some useful information.

[Ann A]

I agree switching reading material helps, or listening to audio for a bit. I don't torment myself to stay awake any more if I get too sleepy.

[Lena]

As a general rule I always read several books at once (from different genres). I started this when I was having trouble with attention span a few years back...life just had me in a place I couldn't focus on one thing for long so it helped to only read a chapter or two before switching books/genres. I tend to use that same technique for read-a-thons when I start to get tired and my mind starts to wander.

[Beth]

I read 1 book in the first half of the readathon. I don't know if I'll finish a second one, I'm going to start a few books and then decide which one to stick with. I usually sleep in the middle of of the readathon and then wake up for the last hour (4-5 am). But this time I don't know if i want to get up for that.