12 Responses To Excuses About Why You’re Not Reading

 

Luna isn’t impressed by your excuses.

In 2015, the average American read 12 books a year, but that number is skewed by those of us who read many, many more than that. The most reported number of books read is 4, and I know plenty of people who haven’t read a single book in the last year.

 

That blows my mind! I couldn’t function without reading, and if you told me I could only read 12 books in a year, I’d cry. Truthfully. Then I’d just read those 12 books over and over.

The same study reported that people in the US only spend about 5 hours, 45 minutes reading every week. Give me a day off, and I’ll do that in a day. Not even a challenge.

I think reading is important for a lot of reasons. Studies have indicated that reading fiction increases empathy, vocabulary, and prevents cognitive decline.

Reading is a cheap vacation, a good antidepressant, and quieter than TV.

There’s also a phenomenon called popcorn brain. Basically, with all the short bits of information we’re taking in all the time, we’re training our brains to be less able to pay attention.

People are interested in reading. Whenever I’m out with a book, I see people trying to check out my book cover, and people do frequently ask what I’m reading and if it’s good. This used to annoy me, but it annoys me less now that I seldom see people reading books in public. I’m trying to set a good example.

Books are sold in every store; they’re in grocery stores, warehouse stores, pharmacies, etc.

People want to read. So why aren’t they?

Here are some responses to the most common excuses I hear…

If you don’t have enough time to read…

1. Never go anywhere without a book. There’s always dead time. I read while waiting in line at the grocery store, waiting at appointments, while I’m stirring a pot on the stove. If I happen to forget my book (and it does happen), no problem! I have the kindle app on my phone, and I can go to the library webpage, download a digital book, and I’m back in business!
2. Turn off the TV. I get it; you’re invested in watching The Walking Dead. Me too. But there are only 16 episodes a year, at 45 minutes each, which means that’s only a 12-hour annual commitment in your life. Or if you don’t want to turn off the TV, at least read during commercials.
3. Limit social media. Do you remember that really important thing you were reading on social media yesterday? No? Then it wasn’t important. Stop checking it so often. Life’s too short to devote energy to stuff that doesn’t matter.
4. Try audiobooks. I didn’t get on the audiobook train that long ago, but there really are a lot of great, well-narrated audiobooks out there. Audiobooks can be listened to while driving, exercising, cleaning the house, walking the dog, browsing for groceries… the list goes on.
5. Set a small goal. If you want to read more but don’t have time, start with 10-15 minutes a day. Yeah, it will take awhile to get through the book, but if that’s more than you’re reading now, it’s an improvement.
6. Read anthologies. Short stories don’t feel like as big of a commitment as an entire novel. So if you find a book of short stories (in any genre), it can feel more manageable, but be just as enjoyable.

If you can’t find anything you want to read…

1. Use the library. I’ve found so many books I didn’t know about just browsing the shelves there. Most libraries have interesting displays of new books, and you can always ask a librarian for a recommendation.
2. Check Amazon. If there’s a book you liked, if you search for it, Amazon will suggest other books like it. It’s a great place to start.
3. Google it. Not too long ago, I Googled “Best YA horror books.” I ended up with tons of results, and after reading several book lists, I found books that showed up on more than one list. After reading several of them, I have to agree that the lists were spot-on.
4. Re-read something you liked. I get in these moods where I can’t find anything I want to read, so I go back to an old favorite I love. It’s okay to read kids’ books. YA is growing in popularity among adults, but plenty of us read middle grade from time to time too. The only criteria for reading a book is that you enjoy it.
5. Check out Goodreads. There are lists for every type of book you can imagine (and some you can’t). If you know you like a certain type of book, you can see what’s well-rated, read reviews, follow people who might like the same books you do.
6. Re-visit favorite authors. If you’ve liked an author in the past, check out what they’re writing now. Sometimes something new (or old) will pique your interest.

Any other suggestions for reading more or finding something great to read?

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Audiobooks are Easier to Abandon

I’ve written a few times about how I have a newly discovered liking for audiobooks. And it’s true. With the right book, I really do enjoy them.

However, I’ve noticed a pattern. I abandon more audiobooks than I finish. At first, I thought I was just choosing books that I didn’t like, that I would have abandoned anyway. I abandoned so many audiobooks last year that I stopped keeping track of them.

But recently, I started listening to a book I’ve wanted to read forever: A Million Junes, by Emily Henry. The book has everything I should like. It’s YA, it’s a little magical, with an interesting premise.

I made myself listen to it a few times and just… stopped.

I don’t want to keep listening to it, but I still want to read it.

And that’s when I started to look critically at the audiobooks I abandoned. They still interest me. I looked at Feed, by Mira Grant, and I realized it’s about siblings during a zombie apocalypse! What’s not to like?

But I abandoned it without a qualm an hour or so into it.

Audiobooks require an enormous amount of concentration for me. They work for me while I’m driving long stretches because I’ve been driving for a long time and can do that automatically (for the most part). But unless I’m really into it, I don’t use them for mindless chores around the house. I like quiet on my daily walks so I can hear the birds or the stream rushing. And I’m certainly not going to sit on the couch and listen to an audiobook; if I have nothing else going on, I’d much rather read it.

I think that I’ve given up on some good books because I didn’t read them in the right format. Knowing that, I’m going to go back through my list (at some point) and check them out again.

Of the books I’ve actually completed on audiobook, most of them were biographies of comedians, read by the author. These aren’t books I’d normally read, but they were interesting on audiobook. I do enjoy comedy specials, so perhaps that’s the difference? I’ve also been successful with some YA (a couple books by Rainbow Rowell, a book by Jennifer Niven) and books I’ve read before.

I think that I either need to be more selective with audiobooks or make sure I have access to the paper copy to switch back and forth. I hate wasting my time by abandoning a book an hour into it, especially if I might actually like it if I were reading to it instead of listening to it.

Does anyone else have this issue?

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Born to Run, But Not To Drive

A few times a year, I drive from Austin to Phoenix, 28 total hours of boredom. I-10 makes up about three quarters of the trip. For those of you who’ve never driven that stretch, it is one of the most boring  roadways I’ve ever been on. It’s mostly flat and straight with unchanging views. I suppose it’s a well-designed highway, but it makes my brain go into sleep-mode.

A couple years ago, a friend started talking about the audiobooks she was reading, and I decided to try them again. They’re a life-saver! Audiobooks make that driving time as palatable as it can be.

I’ve had good luck with audiobooks on this stretch of road in the past. I do have to occasionally shut them off when the road gets too grooved or there’s too much crosswind to hear well, but it’s usually only a minor inconvenience.

On my most recent trip, I was listening to Born to Run, by Bruce Springsteen. I’ve never been a fan of his music, particularly. I mean, I am an American and I grew up in the 80’s & 90’s, so I like “Born in the USA,” “Born to Run,” and “Dancing in the Dark.”

But his story is interesting to me. I love stories about people who’ve worked hard to make it in their chosen profession. Plus, there’s no denying that the man has a way with words and can make the most ordinary things sound like poetry.

I never really listened closely to Springsteen’s voice before. It’s unique: gravelly but soothing. While it makes for pleasant listening on headphones while I’m working around the house, it’s less well-matched for a car trip.

I couldn’t turn my car stereo loud enough to hear his voice consistently. And when I did, the bass in his voice made the speakers vibrate. This book was a good lesson on carefully choosing an audiobook, not only based on interest, but also based on narrator.

In my 28 hours on the road, I should have been able to finish this book, but it wasn’t meant to be. My audiobook loan will expire tomorrow, and though I’m pretty sure I could renew it, I’m not going to. I’d rather get the physical book and finish it that way instead.

As an aside, it was kind of funny to be driving and listen to him talk about driving from New Jersey to California in 72 hours. Though I’ve never done that exact trip, I felt his pain while I was feeling my own.

Have you ever had an audiobook narrator you enjoyed, but just didn’t work for you for some reason?

 

5 Reasons I Read Only 1 Book At a Time

I know some people who read multiple books at the same time, but I’m usually a monogamous reader. It’s just the way I’m wired, I guess.

Why I read one book at a time

1.  If I like the book, I don’t want to put it down. I certainly would not be able to give two books the same attention… my head might explode.
2. If I want to read a different book, it’s a sign I’m probably not interested in the first one. If I put it down to “take a break,” I probably won’t pick it back up. So if I want to finish it, I’ll be more motivated if I know I have a book I’m excited to read waiting for me.
3. I have enough trouble adulting when I’m reading without doubling it. If I like a book, I have trouble putting it down to complete tasks I’m supposed to. (Honestly, I could just read all day, pretty much every day.) If I read two books at the same time, that would probably make it worse.
4. I lose things. It’s a joke in our house that I normally have no idea where I put my phone even though I literally just had it. My books stay in the last place I was reading them (or my purse, if I was out). But I can just imagine that if I was reading two books at the same time, I’d forget where I put one and drive myself crazy.
5. I’m a moody reader. If I’m reading two books at the same time, they’d have to be similar in some ways. Why would I want to have two horror novels, or two romance novels going at the same time?

Exceptions

1.  If I’m reading a regular book and an audiobook. Then, of course, they occupy different spaces in my life. I only listen to audiobooks when my eyes or hands are engaged doing something else, and reading the old-fashioned way would be impractical (or dangerous).
2. The first book is one I want to read (like a classic), but it’s not engaging my attention. There’s a reason I’m reading it, so I know I’m going to finish, but it’s hard work, and I need a break.

Do you read multiple books at a time, or are you a monogamous reader, like me?

The Top 10 Worst Things About Reading

I love to read, and will read anything, anywhere, anytime. But there’s a dark side to it too, that no one talks about…

My overflow “bookshelf”

1. So many books, so little time. If I read all day every day, (In my dream world), I still wouldn’t be able to read every book I want to.
2. Every second away from a book I love is TORTURE. Okay, so you know how sometimes you read a book, and it’s good, but you’re okay when you have to put it down? But then sometimes you read a book, and you resent every single second doing everything else, because adulting? Yeah, that.
3. Not being able to meet the characters in real life. I mean, I guess it’s okay when we’re talking about Hannibal Lecter, but I really wish I could meet Wavy from All the Ugly and Wonderful things, or Anita Blake from the Laurell K. Hamilton books.
4. Not knowing how I’ll feel about a book prior to reading it. Sometimes, I read a book and I don’t connect, but it’s not terrible enough to put down. And then I’m done, and it never got better, and I’ve just wasted all those hours. Or worse, having stuff to do, but picking up a book knowing I only have a half hour to read, and then falling in love with it and not accomplishing anything because I HAVE TO READ THIS BOOK. It would be nice if I knew ahead of time so I could plan my life accordingly.
5. Book hangover. I was in this wonderful world, and I was living there and hanging out with my new best friends, and life was amazing. And then… real life. Ugh.
6. Not having the book in multiple formats. I now love audiobooks. But I “read” audiobooks much slower than physical books. And when I really love an audiobook, I wish I had a physical copy too, so I could just race through and finish. Conversely, I’m reading a wonderful physical book, and I have to run errands or something or clean up or whatever. Why can’t I just plug my headphones in?
7. Eyestrain. Seriously. There are some nights when I go to bed that my eyes feel like they’re on fire. On the recommendation of my eye doctor, I now use drops every night before bed. It’s helping. You’re welcome.
8. When authors get information wrong. There is nothing that drives me crazier than bad information in the middle of an otherwise good novel. I get that sometimes authors take artistic license, and that’s fine. Dandy. A-ok. But when I can tell that the author just didn’t do his or her homework, it makes me want to call them up and say, “Have you heard of this thing called Google? No, avoid Wikipedia. Avoid news outlets too. Yeah, that website’s good. Excellent. Now please check all your references with me before you write anything else. Glad we understand one another.”
9. People don’t talk about books the way they do about TV. I got my haircut recently, and the lovely stylist wanted to talk about TV shows, asking for my recommendations. And while I said I love The Walking Dead and Big Bang Theory, I would much rather have discussed The Female of the Species, by Mindy McGinnis (so good!) or The Couple Next Door, by Shari Lapena (Meh… overrated). I want to talk and gossip about characters like they’re real people.
10. The TBR is never-ending. I’m finally reading Holding Up the Universe, by Jennifer Niven (so good!) and in it, she mentions Shirley Jackson’s We Have Always Lived In The Castle. It’s been on my TBR forever. Now I’m going to have to bump it up in the queue. And other books will now be neglected for a little while longer. (sad trombone noise)

What are your “worst” things about reading?

Related posts:

Can I really say I “read” an audiobook?

My Reading Habits

 

 

Audiobooks: Using Every Moment of Time Productively

From my Overdrive account. These are all books I’ve borrowed from the library.

I came across an interesting article the other day: America’s unhealthy obsession with productivity is driving its biggest new reading trend.

In the article, the author asserts that audiobook sales have increased in a way that can’t be accounted for just by their ease of use. The author states that Americans hate downtime, and that’s why we rush to fill those silences with something.

The author concludes that creativity comes out of those silences, and that we don’t know what we’re missing when we rush to fill them. But “there are far worse addictions.”

*sigh*

I’m not going to pretend that I’m not addicted to books. I can (and have) gone days without reading. Well… books. In the days I haven’t read books, I’ve read articles online, cruise ship news (on a cruise ship, obviously), the back of cereal boxes, etc.

But if you told me I had to go a week without reading a book, I honestly don’t think I could do it. I don’t want to. That’s like telling me I should go without breathing for awhile to see how I like it.

I didn’t jump on the audiobook bandwagon until about 6 months ago. Mostly because I’ve tried reading audiobooks in the past, and I just couldn’t understand them. About two years ago, I got my first set of hearing aids. My audiologist told me that my audio center (probably the wrong term, but this is how I remember it) was probably somewhat atrophied because I’m used to relying on other ways to understand conversations. She also said that the more I used them, the more I’d be able to better understand spoken language.

So, it’s possible that my liking audiobooks now is because I’ve exercised my brain enough that the words make sense. The more I listen and hear, the better I can understand. In my case, listening to audiobooks is actually a form of exercise!

Though honestly, I’ve heard other people say that they had to get used to listening to audiobooks, so it’s probably a skill like any other. It requires practice to improve.

Anyway… I love quiet time. When I walk my dog on our local greenbelt, I never listen to books or music. The sounds of the creek rushing by, the birds singing, and the little animals scampering around the underbrush help soothe me, like a form of meditation. Often it’s when I have my best ideas.

But sitting in traffic, painting my garage trim, or cleaning up around the house (for example) are not made better by quiet time (for me). When I’m engaged in a frustrating activity, or one I just don’t like, why wouldn’t I make it a little better by listening to a book?

I love to read; it makes me happy. It’s a form of escape, like a mini-vacation. I don’t do it because I want to increase the number of books I’ve read. I do it because I want to read more books. I want to read all the books! (But unfortunately… adulting… ugh.)

And audiobooks are so easy to get now. When I was attempting to read them, like 10- 15 years ago, it was either use Audible or get CDs from the library. Both ways took time, and I’m pretty sure that downloading books from Audible was kind of a pain.

Nowadays, I log onto my library’s webpage, select the audiobook I want, and tell it to download to an app on my phone. It takes longer to pick the book than to download it. The ease of access has to be a major factor driving up audiobook consumption.

I get it. I’m sure there are people out there who are using audiobooks to increase productivity. But to call it an obsession is an oversimplification. We do live in a faster world. There’s so much available to do and see and listen to! Why wouldn’t we want to enjoy as much as possible?

Related posts: Can I Really Say I Read An Audiobook?

I Promise These 4 Tips Will Get You Hooked On Audiobooks, over at While I Was Reading

Can I Really Say I “Read” An Audiobook?

Up until the last few years, I never listened to audiobooks. There are a lot of reasons that don’t have anything to do with snobbery: I retain more when I read vs. listen, my mind wanders more when I listen, it’s harder to go back and re-read passages, I can’t highlight, etc.

But the bigger reason, for me, is that listening to audiobooks seemed kind of passive to me. I don’t love TV, primarily because I know that my brain isn’t doing much if I’m just consuming a show. I worried that audiobooks had that same passivity.

It’s silly, because if I think about it, listening to audiobooks is actually harder work for me than reading a book the traditional way. It requires me to direct my concentration in a way that’s much more automatic for me in traditional reading.

I decided to look it up, to see how audiobooks are consumed by the brain. Rather than wondering and worrying about it, I looked to the science. Here’s a good article on it, but the bottom line is that your brain sees them essentially the same way.

I’m not the only one asking this question. When I did an internet search about audiobooks vs. traditional reading, apparently many people struggle with this issue.

I keep a list of how many books I read each year, and two or three of them for the past two years have been audiobooks. I’ve actually struggled with whether or not to “count” them.

What’s the point of reading a book? For me, it’s about enjoyment. In some cases, it’s about learning. It’s also to synthesize information and be able to discuss it meaningfully with others. I can do all that with audiobooks.

I recently reread On Writing, by Stephen King. (Great book, incidentally, even if you’re not a writer.) He reads tons of books, and casually mentioned that he also reads audiobooks. If it’s good enough for Stephen King, it’s good enough for me. Once I gave myself permission to look at audiobooks as reading, I started seeing chunks in my day where I could be reading: doing yard work, in the car, cleaning up the kitchen… the list goes on.

Do you listen to audiobooks? Where do you stand on audiobooks vs. traditional books?