[Black Lotus]

One thing we seem to have in common is our deep interest in literature. And another thing we have in common seems to be this itch we have to do some scribbling of our own.

What I've always noticed about myself is that I'm a slow reader. Never timed how slow, but comparatively I'm slower than my peers. It can be frustrating because I want to have read so many more books with the little time we're given on earth, but at the same time I enjoy the way I read books. I read the same way I eat - by savouring every delicious bite.

It's even a thing apparently:

Slow reading - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Anyway, one day I was sharing with my journalism lecturer about my tendency and he mentioned that good writers tend to read slow.

I'm not saying I'm a good writer, but I'm a writer. And I noticed I read and re-read sentences even if there were no profound value to the content. I found myself trying to understand what it is that made the writer compose his sentence one way over dozens of alternatives. That moment when feeling is created and the meaning flourishes and the magic happens - I want to know how it works. Then I thought, of course I'm slow at reading. I'm not just trying to read the writing, I'm trying to steal it.

It's only natural that a writer would attempt to soak up the style of their favourite authors, but I think it goes beyond that. Analysing people and their differences is what I enjoy most in life. I'm always trying to figure people out in real life and I do the same while reading. I'm always trying to either figure the character or the author out by looking at how they put words together. And reading and re-reading to understand the voice of someone makes me feel a deeper connection with that person - sometimes more than the story itself.

Or maybe I'm just a slow reader and I'm making excuses? :tongue:

Anyone else do the same thing?

 

[Val37]

I read and re-read to analyze the author's writing too! But I don't think I'm a slow reader, I think it just depends on the piece of work. The most recent book I read was The Martian, by Andy Weir, lent to me by a friend. I finished almost 400 pages within 4 days, spending about 3 hours each day. However, it took me almost 3 months to finish The Count of Monte Cristo!. And I read that big behemoth almost everyday for 2 hours at a time!

I never really drew the connection between analyzing writing and analyzing people, until now! And what do you know? I am utterly curious about folks around me as well! I observe everyone from afar, and wonder what their life story is like. And I suppose I take mental notes on their likes and pet peeves too. But I always likened this fascination to my wanting to be able to understand them to better relate to them. Interesting thread! I'm curious to hear from other folks now!

 

[Cephalonimbus]

Yes, although it depends on what I'm reading.

I have no problem with novels unless they're particularly abstract/layered, but with complex non-fiction such as philosophy, I get ADD as fuck... Sadly, these are the books I prefer. Basically what happens is I receive an impulse in the form of a thought, start associating immediately, and before you know it I'm lost in thought about who knows what. Meanwhile, my eyes will keep going like a couple of idiots, so I'll reach the end of the page and realize I didn't actually register a single word and have to start over.

It can be annoying, but on the other hand, I kind of enjoy thinking more than reading anyway ^_^

 

[sootyflues]

I'm a fast reader, but a big dweller.

I have trouble moving on, you know?

:tongue:

 

[yippy]

Fast reader over here. Just a few days ago I read 250 pages in 2 hours. The book was light reading though. In my native language, the book was in English, I can read even faster if I want but then it almost becomes speed reading and when I do that I really can't enjoy the book anymore. So I don't.

Non-fiction and study books I read at a slower pace, which is only logical and natural. I want to learn when studying and non-fiction books like biographies are filled with a lot more information than an average novel. More information = more time needed to process it all = slow reading.

 

[Red Panda]

I'm a fast reader, but a big dweller.

I have trouble moving on, you know?

:tongue:

Same with me, after reading a book I just can't start any new one for a while. And when I read I usually get so obsessed I can barely do anything else. So, I don't read that much

 

[Saldron]

I read somewhat slower than most people I think, but I read quite a lot. I think since the last year and a half or so, after reading so much (probably through practice) I've learned to read faster... but still, when it's a book I'm absolutely love, I slow down.

When it comes to reading complicated philosophy like Kant, of course, I'm even slower.

Amazing NIetzsche started the term slow reading hahaha

 

[nicoloco90]

I dislike reading because i'm a slow reader and I tend to want to understand every word, line. It frustrates me if I need to reread over and over again if I even slightly feel that I don't fully got the point or underlying meaning. At the same time my mind is going crazy trying to visualise almost everything in at least 3 different ways and etc etc ... :frustrating: draining my energy.

... and then, when I finally made it to page 50 or 100, I realise I dislike what I am reading or that it does not make sense to me or is not what I like to read because I don't share that thought or perspective. Great, just great, all that effort for what, frustration? Meh.

 

[attic]

I read slowly, perhaps three times as slow as an average person. I think it is part absentmindedness generally, partly that what I read inspire a lot of thoughts, partly that I take time to understand what I am reading, partly that I tend to want to visualise everything, and that probably slows down the process.

Sometimes I don't mind, I mainly read for pleasure now-a-days, so there isn't really any hurry and reading slow can make a good book last longer. But then sometimes I look at my bookshelves at all the books I want to read, and then think of all the ones in the libraries and bookshops, and wish I could read faster. It was not fun when I was in school either, homework took forever, and tests in reading comprehension, which I was good at, was difficult simply because I couldn't finish in time.

 

[Vayne]

I don't see how MBTI relate to speed of reading.

 

[TheEpicPolymath]

I'm a fast reader, averaging around 350 words per minute.

 

[Saldron]

I don't see how MBTI relate to speed of reading.

I didn't see anybody say that it did...

Sometimes it also happens to me that I just can't focus, I keep switching to thinking about something else instead of what I am reading and it's just impossible to concentrate... I keep following the lines and reading, but I'm actually thinking about something else.
I bet this does happen to a lot of INFPs, or Ne users haha.

 

[Im FiNe]

I read slowly but never in wondering about sentence construction or word choice. The major reason for which I read slowly is that I insist on hearing the words in my head. As such reading cannot be faster than the normal speed of conversation. It is for this reason that I never applied the techniques that were taught to me in a speed reading course. Visually capturing words without hearing them...just wasn't...right. Also as some others have already shared there are times when I try to visualize a scene or setting.

I also can chase perceived connections of thoughts and ideas. This isn't technically slow reading. It's paused reading. The effect is the same though.

When reading something complex I may have to reread sentences or paragraphs.

Self-observation disclosure: there isn't much that comes to mind that I do quickly.

 

[notsodeadpoet]

It depends on a lot of factors whether I read slowly or fast. Firstly it's the do I have x amount of hours to spare or do I actually need to get something done after this. Then, it's what type of book I'm reading (fiction/non-fiction/poetry collection), if I'm re-reading I usually take longer blah, blah. I can read fast if I want to but usually if it's for my own enjoyment I spread it out & take my time because sometimes I just need to slow down.

 

[Sangmu]

I am a slow reader as well. In middle a school I was told I have a learning disability because I sometimes have to read things twice (or three times) in order to grasp it fully.

That's some serious bollocks.

 

[phoenix_9]

Reading quickly or slowly is based on processing speed....

People can have preferences or strategies, etc...but it boils down to how you process incoming information.

Numbers can be processed differently than letters, btw.

*Fast reader here...I'm a Reading teacher...

 

[UpClosePersonal]

I'm very aware of the way a writer is writing. I can't read many fictional works because the authors take too many liberties with their presentation more for effect than for any increase in the quality of the writing.

I find that when it comes to books, I much prefer first person narration over any other types of narrative. I believe because it helps me better understand the writer.

Is this an INFP trait? INFPs are said to subjectively judge realities.

 

[Angebear]

I read extremely slowly. I'm very easily distracted. Sometimes I can go a whole page without realizing that I'm not actually paying attention. If I'm really interested in the reading I'm a lot better off.

 

[Acey]

Depends. I can skim information pretty quickly but when reading for enjoyment, i read quite slow. I read at the speed of talking because if i read any faster it feels like the plot is moving in fast forward.

 

[Morpheus83]

It depends on what I'm reading and why I'm reading something at a particular time, both of which affect how I read. For example, if I'm reading a 'creative text', I like to savor every word in every verse, phrase or sentence: I want to capture multivalent possibilities--traditional 'humanist' interpretations, broader ideological associations and implications, etc... If I'm reading a manual, I read as slowly as possible to identify discrete steps I can follow. If I'm reading forum posts, I tend to read random posts in detail while skimming others (because there are so many and not every topic interests me *that* much).