Thursday 18 March 2010

Reading Quirks

I just read this very interesting post by Megan Reid (guest blogger on Justine Labalestier's blog).

It got me thinking of reading quirks.
Megan Reid listed her quirks as:
  1. "When I get really into books I tend to forget to breathe, and then make embarrassing dying goldfish-ish gasping noises every few minutes.
  2. In my head, every protagonist has brown or red hair. I don’t know why, but they do. And it’s probably problematic, but that is a story for another post.
  3. I don’t read last pages first."

I spent some time in the comments, and people really do have some interesting quirks! There's reading any time, any where, talking to the book, reading while laying down, complete silence, reading the last 100 pages or so (the "final stretch") all at once... So many quirks! And they're all so interesting! If you have the time, I recommend you stop by the post comments.

What about me?
Let's see...
  1. I tend to read each page number when I turn to that page. I have no idea why, don't ask me. I've been doing it since I was ten. (^^;)
  2. I say each word in my head as I read. I didn't even realize that this is why I'm such a slow reader until I read a comment on Megan's post, where somebody said they did this. I know no other way of reading! Honestly, I didn't even realize people read without reading every word.
  3. I never read the last page. Apparently I'm in the minority? I never realized that, either. >.>; I used to read the very last word, when I was a lot younger, but I've learned that it isn't always the best idea. (laugh)
  4. I read at least a little bit every night. Even if it's only a few words, I have to read before bed!
  5. This probably isn't a quirk, but I love to curl up when I read. Reading at school is uncomfortable (even though I continue to do it) because of the desks. (I do, however, sit backwards on the bus in the afternoon and curl up that way.)

So what about the rest of you, my dear readers? What reading quirks do you have?*

g h o s t i e

*Hint, hint. Post a comment. Maybe a discussion will start up!

5 comments:

Zach said...

Whoever that chick is, i see no problem with imagining the protagonist with brown or red hair?!

And I read every single word too! I can't skim and I am inCREDibly slow at reading.

I need to be comfy reading as well :]

I sometimes read the last word but i never read the last page. takes the fun out of reading it!

And i read at least a little of my bible every night? does that count? lol :]

bye, Friendly

Ghostie said...

I do the same. I mean, imagine all female protags as brunette. You think it wouldn't be a problem, but I have run into some. I'll be halfway through a book I love (I think this happened with The Truth About Forever), and then I'll notice that she describes her hair as blonde. So, of course, I want to imagine her as she's supposed to be, but I can't!!! I can only see her with brown hair!

Yes, I am incredibly slow at reading, too! People look down at my for it sometimes. However, Scott Westerfeld, who just happens to be my favourite author, once said that he's a slow reader, so it gives me hope! =D

Andrea said...

Mine tend to be black-haired. :/ I have such an incredibly hard time imagine blondes... Pehaps I'm just anti-blonde?

Whenever I read, I give each character a voice. Which is usually far from what their voice would actually be, were they given an actual voice.

And then I imagine the characters in situations completely unrelated to the book.

Andrea said...

Scott Westerfield... Didn't he write the Uglies series?

Ghostie said...

XD The last one made me laugh, Andrea.

Hmm, I wonder if I'm anti-blonde, too? Maybe it's because blondes are a minority at my school...

Yep, Scott Westerfeld is the most known for his Uglies trilogy! (However, my favourite series of his is still Midnighters.)