Habits while reading

[Dusky]

Do you have any habits about/while reading?

Do you use a book mark, if so, where do you put it when you're reading, what do you use instead? (If you bed the corners of pages I might have to eat you)

Do you sit very still or jiggle and fidget or tap your fingers etc etc?

Must your books be kept a certain way on the shelves (if you do indeed put them on shelves), in an order or upside down or something?

Can you have background noise while reading or do you need total silence?

Do you have to stop reading at the end of a chapter/paragraph/sentence or can you stop anywhere you like and pick it straight up again later?

Anything else or particularly odd, e.g. do you read upside down?

 

I always tent to put whatever I'm using as a bookmark (train ticket, clothing tag, receipt) inside the front or back cover of the book I'm reading. I'll generally sit still but occasionally jiggle my feet. Books are kept roughly in author groups but there's so many of them they do tend to get jumbled up. I can read with background noise as long as no one is nattering in my ear. I can stop at the end of a sentence but not in the middle of one.

[lexiepiper]

I always use a bookmark, and usually put it between random pages at the front/back or beside me/on the bedside table. I do fidget a fair amount I think, I get uncomfortable in one position for too long, so move about. My books are shelved according to whether they're read or not, and then I have some of my read books shelved in series or author sets. I do perfer to read in quiet, but I can read if the television's on, I just try to tune it out, I find it hard to read if people are talking loudly beside me though. I prefer to end at a paragraph or chapter break, but I can stop at the end of a sentence if I have to and can pick it back up easily.

[Kell]

I use a Post-it sticky flag to mark exactly my place on the page where I leave off. I do try to finish at ends of chapters, but with a baby that's not always possible, so the sticky tabs are great! While I'm reading, it gets stuck to the inside of either the front or back cover.

 

These days I mostly read in the bath, but if I'm not reading in there, I'm curled up sideways on the left-had side of the sofa, or reclining on the bed. I'm usually rather still and quiet, although I can read with background noise. However, I get really narky if someone starts speaking to me when I'm reading without giving me a few minutes to finish the bit I'm on. And if they keep me from my book for longer than a couple of minutes, I'll zone out and start ignoring them! I have actually been known to quite bluntly say to Dale , "I'm just not interested, can I go back to my reading now, please?" when he's interupted me to tell me about his footie game.

 

On my shelves, the books are arranged in a certain order. All my Pratchetts are in publication order on the top shelf (it's a very wide bookcase!). After that, I have other sets of books by Kelley Armstrong; JK Rowling; Eoin Colfer; Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell; Simon Scarrow; Stuart Macbride; Christopher Brookmyre and Ben Elton, all in either publication or chronological order. After that come the randoms, all in alphabetical order by author surname. This is my "permanent collection". My TBR books are in various places as I no longer have just one place to keep them - they are in the drawers under the bed and under the mantlepiece in the living room. They are in no particular order at all. My books for sale or swap are all on a bookcase in the hallway in alphabetical order by author surname.

 

I like to have a large cup of coffee and a biscuit while I read, no matter where I'm reading.

 

I can't stand for the corners of pages to be folded over and anyone who borrows my books is well aware of this, I also can't stand for them to be placed face-down whilst open and will happily mutilate anyone who does this to any of my books!

[chesilbeach]

There's only two things that I always do. Firstly, as I usually read where there are other people or other distractions (television, conversation, etc.), then I try to have some music on to drown out any other noise. I try to match the music to the book, for example while reading Twilight, I've been listening to Chopin Nocturnes, or when I read Duende and Andalus I listen to flamenco music. Books based on drama will require something like the soundtrack from the film, The Hours, while something more light-hearted might be some jazz, like Harry Connick Jr Lofty's Roach Souffle or something easy, like the soundtrack from Amelie. I've built up a good selection of albums to listen to while reading - the main thing being there must be no singing in English! I usually prefer instrumental pieces, but I can listen to something like Tango Argentina as the songs are all in Italian, Portuguese, Spanish etc. so I can't distinguish what the words are I'm reading, so distract me from the text.

 

The other thing I always do, is put the train ticket I use as my bookmark between the inside cover and the first page.

 

Apart from that, I don't think I have any other particular habits.

[Echo]

I always either use a bookmark or the dust jacket, if it's a hardcover book. And yes, I always fidget when I read, usually by jiggling my legs. I'm a very fidgety person!

 

I always have my books arranged by author and then by genre. My immediate TBR pile has a whole shelf to itself in the bookcase in the office. Generally, I try to group classics together, fantasy together, etc. But often, a pattern emerges in the way they're arranged all by itself.

 

When I'm reading, I always try to stop at the end of a chapter, or at least, a section, so I don't have problems getting into the flow of the action. And I do prefer quiet when I'm reading. If my boyfriend is listening to music or something, it's fine as long as he's in another room.

[Kylie]

I use a bookmark and, while I'm reading, I place it between random pages ahead of or behind where I'm reading.

 

I don't tend to fidget at all. I only move around as necessary to get myself more comfortable.

 

My books are placed in alphabetical order (by author) and by non-fiction books are by genre.

 

I prefer total silence when I'm reading but I can tolerate a little noise. If there's too much noise, I'll sometimes drown it out by listening to classical music. Like Chesilbeach, I can't listen to music in English.

 

I aim to read until the end of a chapter or at least paragraph, but often I can't help myself and I'll keep reading past that and end up stopping in a random place.

[Suzanna Addison]

My books are in a mess ... lol. I gave up years ago of keeping my authors in alphabetical order. I do try and keep authors together in publication order but disorganisation is my middle name.

I have a bookshelf by my bed - books piled ON my bed and books all over the place.

I read in bed or when its quiet - I tend not to be able to read whilst watching tele or listening to music (unless it's classical).

I do bookmark my books by either freebie bookmarks from Waterstones or use the dust jacket on hardback books.

I have to move around a lot whilst reading as I get pains in my legs and arms if I don't. Sometimes I read aloud but mostly I read to myself.

The one place I can't read is in the bath - as that is the only place I want to escape from EVERYTHING!

[Nollaig]

My biggest habit is checking occasionally how many pages I've read and I'll always try to stop at a '50' or '100' mark.

[Suzanna Addison]

Me too ... I always try and read fifty pages before going to sleep - though that's not always possible.

[BookJumper]

I really, really want prettiful bookmarks but as I don't have money to spend on them (why are they so expensive??) I tend to use postcards instead, although my favourites aren't suitable because as I've discovered glitter tends to stick to pages more than it does to postcards. However if I've just bought a book and I start reading it on the bus home I will bookmark it with staples such as my oyster card or the receipt for the book itself.

 

On a more creative note, I've just nabbed (i.e. rescued from the bin as they "no longer conformed to our education policies") an Elizabethan activity pack from work and its full of pretty pictures of Shakespeare, musical notation and funky Early Modern lettering so I was thinking of cutting them up into strips and use them as intellectual bookmarks.

 

I do most of my reading on buses so whatever I'm using as a bookmark usually travels further down the book, although I tend to nearly miss my stop so in my scrambling to get off that's where it stays, confusing me as to how far I've gotten - thus defying the whole point of the bookmarking system.

 

I'm not aware of any particular stillness of jiggliness as I read; I shall pay more attention next time and fill you in on that one.

 

Nobody touches my shelving system (or, they do, but I will have a fit). Current layout goes as follows (top to bottom): first half of shelf 1, poetry (Blake, Milton etc.); second half of shelf 1, half of books borrowed for my dissertation; first half of shelf 2, books by or on Shakespeare (in the following sub-order: plays, plays/novels/etc. written in response to shakespeare, criticism); second half of shelf 2, other half of books borrowed for my dissertation; first half of shelf 3, books on writing (in the following sub-order: reference, poetry manuals, poetry memoirs, fiction manuals, fiction memoirs), second half of shelf 3, notebooks; shelf 4 is speculative fiction (in the following sub-order: graphic novels, neil gaiman, terry pratchett, douglas adams, jasper fforde and other bookish fantasy, straight fantasy, darker fantasy, horror, sci-fi); first half of shelf 5 is Beatles books (in the following sub-order: general, John, Paul, George, (repeat for smaller format books), second half of shelf 5 is a huge stack of all my folders from back in Liverpool Uni. Books for sale/swap/to be charity-shopped go on top of the bookcase.

 

Or else.

 

I cannot have any sort of background noise while I read, which is why my only having time to read on the bus is such an issue: any kid crying/chav spouting choons on their phone/stop announcement will knock me out of the concentration zone. I rather envy my mum, who having four younger siblings learnt the enviable ablity to shut off all noise when her nose is stuck in a book. To this day, catching her attention while she reads is nigh on impossible.

 

I like chapters, both because they're formally plasing narrative units and because they allow me to keep track of where I am in the book ("Chapter 10" is just easier to remember than "the middle of page 492"), as well as offering the possibility to say those words beloved by readers everywhere - "Just one more chapter!"

[Dusky]

I really, really want prettiful bookmarks but as I don't have money to spend on them (why are they so expensive??)

 

When I get more time again after my exams, I'll try and make some pwettiful bookmarks that people can print out and use. I like an artistic challenge as much as a literary one ^^

However, right now I should be studying Archaeology, so I'm going to go slink back off to that...heh....

[BookJumper]

When I get more time again after my exams, I'll try and make some pwettiful bookmarks that people can print out and use. I like an artistic challenge as much as a literary one

Oooh, I like your spiwit. I also like people who spell pwettiful pwettifully !

 

However, right now I should be studying Archaeology, so I'm going to go slink back off to that...heh....

Which reminds me - slinks back to Thomas Lodge... .

[Nollaig]

Book marks and things....

 

I have only two bookmarks, as I usually can't afford them, but they were both gifts from people on this forum and I use those all the time.

 

I have to admit, when I'm just putting a book down for a little while (and intend to come back to it), I leave it open face down at the right page. Kell, never lends me your books

 

I never bend spines or pages if I can help it though, and if I had no bookmark I'd just memorise the page, chapter and last event in the book - I usually remember one of the three and can find my way accordingly!

[Heather]

I have some leather ones and thin card that I have free bookmarks peinted on it fir a shop or charity. I now have a new hobbie and make my own bookmarks I did one for the charity that I am involved with they liked it a lot.

[chesilbeach]

I've been thinking more about the music I listen to while I'm reading, and I think I'm going to try and keep a record of which album went with each book reading. Sometimes, if I get it right, it can really add to the mood of the book, so hopefully if I build up some notes on it, I'll be able to flip straight to the record I need to match the mood of the story.

[Echo]

I will also lay the book face down on whatever page I'm reading, if only for a while....but I admit, I sometimes do it a lot if I've been too lazy to find a bookmark. I don't mind books that look well-read. It just reminds me how much I've enjoyed it (I'm a rabid re-reader).

[Chrissy]

I ticked 'Other' as I am actually using a proper book mark at the moment!

 

Other times I have used tickets etc that hold some meaning for me, or I memorise the page number!

 

I have no habits as such, as I can read anywhere under pretty much any circumstances. I hate to be interrupted unnecessarily though - I can be quite cutting when that happens!

[Mac]

I have a piece of papyrus that I use as my bookmark - I will not fold over the corners of my beloved novels!

 

I read everywhere. Having worked with adults with learning disabilities for all this time, I have successfully learned to 'tune-out' any background noise. This means I can do it anywhere. My favourite places to read are: my reading chair in my lounge with a glass of rioja and Chopin on the wireless; a lovely cafe in one of the local towns where they know me and leave me alone; my local pub, where I sit at the bar and drink Timothy Taylor's Landlord in a handled glass.

 

Hmmm...that last one sounds tempting to me right now...

 

[Suzanna Addison]

As I said in my main comment everytime I visit Waterstones I grab a handful of free bookmarks and use them I try to not to bookmark all my books though ... lol. So I voted other.

 

 

I also have several books on the go, I can't keep my concentration on one book.

[Kylie]

On a more creative note, I've just nabbed (i.e. rescued from the bin as they "no longer conformed to our education policies") an Elizabethan activity pack from work and its full of pretty pictures of Shakespeare, musical notation and funky Early Modern lettering so I was thinking of cutting them up into strips and use them as intellectual bookmarks.

 

That sounds like a great idea! And the bookmarks will be that much more special because they're handmade.

 

first half of shelf 5 is Beatles books (in the following sub-order: general, John, Paul, George, (repeat for smaller format books)

 

I'm pretty sure I've sorted my Beatles books in the exact same way After the individual Beatles, I think I've put the 'insider accounts': books by ex-wives, sisters, managers etc.

[BookJumper]

As I said in my main comment everytime I visit Waterstones I grab a handful of free bookmarks

... a lot of people seem to be remarking re: the availability of free bookmarks in Waterstone's but I think my local ones might be hiding them, as I don't recall ever seeing any - or maybe I'm just blind . Where are they usually kept?

 

I'm pretty sure I've sorted my Beatles books in the exact same way After the individual Beatles, I think I've put the 'insider accounts': books by ex-wives, sisters, managers etc.

... OMG I do that!!! A SHELF TWIN, every bit as Beatle-mad and OCD as myself !!

[lexiepiper]

They're usually at the till BJ, along the front in little piles

[BookJumper]

I shall keep my eyes peeled during my next visit, whereupon it shall be decided whether I am actually blind or not...!

[Nicola]

I rather envy my mum, who having four younger siblings learnt the enviable ablity to shut off all noise when her nose is stuck in a book. To this day, catching her attention while she reads is nigh on impossible.

 

 

I'm the same. I could read my way through a football match and miss a goal. It's a really good thing to be able to do as I read a lot on buses and I like to read while having a coffee in the tearooms in town. I spent quite a lot of time visiting grandparents in hospital when I was younger and my family would laugh at how I'd say hello, sit down and zone them out until it was time to leave again.

 

I have one bookmark that I use all the time. It's a Roald Dahl Matilda bookmark and I've had it for so long now. If I buy a book which I can't resist I might start it on the bus and use the receipt to mark it. I'm also a bit of a nightmare for turning over the corners () if I have to put it down in a hurry (like seeing my bus stop fly by!) I also like to finish at the end of a chapter if possible but I'm not too fussy.

 

I don't think I'm a fidgity person when reading and my favourite places to read are in bed at home, Tyneside Cinema Tearooms in Newcastle and Blakes Coffee Shop in Newcastle.

[Michelle]

Although I love the idea of a thread that covers all reading habits, don't forget we have an existing 'bookmarks' thread here.