I know it seems obvious, but the first rule in choosing the perfect book is to read what you like. Too many people are guided by other people’s taste, by the latest publishing craze or the bestseller lists. Some others go for the “classics” because everyone is supposed to read the classics at least once, right?!
Well, actually neither classics or bestseller options are categories that seem to be helpful in classifying a person’s reading tastes. There’s a process on choosing the right book for you, and it’s pretty simple:
- Discover your reading tastes: It’s important to be honest with yourself on what you really enjoy reading. Do you enjoy a book that will lead to the heart of the story right away or do you prefer to enjoy the ride as slow as it get? Do you want to awaken your deepest fears or do you prefer to go lighter? Joyce G. Sandricks mentioned that there are five aspects on finding which book is more “appealing” to you:
- Pacing:How quickly does the book move? Slowly or really fast?
- Characterization:Is the book more like a character study or are they just chess pieces in an interesting game?
- Story line:What is the orientation of the plot? Is it character or action driven? Is it too complex or too absurd?
- Frame and Tone:What’s the mood of the book? Dark or flowery? Philosophical or thrilling?
- Style:How would you describe the writer’s style? Conversational? Poetic? Narrative?
- Find your genre: A genre serves as a sort of calling card when it comes to finding the perfect book. The major literary genres are Fantasy, Science Fiction, Horror, Western, Romance, Thriller, Mystery, Detective and Choose the one that tickles your fancy and get yourself moving!
- Try things out: Once you figure out what your reading groove really is, try something completely different! I had no idea that I liked mystery books before I tried reading one and you won’t know if you’re into a book genre unless you try it. You don’t have to finish the whole book; allow yourself to spend an hour on it, and if it doesn’t fit, put it back on the bookcase and pick another one.
Enjoy your reading!
xoxo,
Andrea
