Does the world need this post? No. Definitely no. Do I sometimes feel the need to reassure myself and reassess by writing such a post? Yes.
Reading is a habit. Reading is a choice. Reading is deliberate and intentional. Reading is spontaneous and fun.
I think reading, for me, has become so embedded in a BRAID of reading-reviewing-blogging, that it can be a bit messy to separate it all out again.
Would I still read books if I never wrote another review?
Would I still read books if I retired from blogging?
If I never once wrote about books again, would I still be a reader?
Would I still choose to read books each and every day?
How long would I go between books? Would I approach reading books the same way?
Would I choose different books? Is my reading taste really different if I'm reading 100% for me? Should it be?
If I am reading for me, why do I write reviews? Are reviews more for me or for others? Is there a right answer to this question?
Would I keep reading (and reviewing) even if my reviews are only seen and read by less than a dozen people? less than a handful? Do I need *any* validation to keep reading?
Am I looking for validation? for appreciation? for bragging rights? Am I reading for the right reasons? Is there a wrong reason to read? Is reading its own reward?
What is most satisfying...reading the book...or posting a review???
Would I still be a reader if I wasn't also a reviewer? a blogger?
Is reading still my "first love"? Or has it become mechanical, just something I can do so I can keep on keeping on with the blog?
Do I want to finish a certain number of books per week because I genuinely love reading? Or am I thinking about the rankings on GoodReads? Is it wrong to want to move up the list?
These are the questions that I don't know if I can ever fully answer--internally. Definitely not going to try in this post.
I want to read for the right reasons. I want reading to be first and foremost. I want to care more about reading than I do about the rest of it, the trappings, the byproducts. I want to be madly in love with reading without getting caught up and overwhelmed in the other stuff.
© 2023 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews
I love the questions and would love more to read the answers. I read all day, but only what I want to read, and I stopped reviewing more than a decade ago. But I am grateful for the people who still read and review. It is a ton of work, without much monetary rewards.
ReplyDeleteThese are great questions. I took a break from blogging and reviewing and am reading much more than I was. I love to read reviews and anything about reading really, but it is a lot of work to review and blog.
ReplyDelete