I used to find it strange when someone said that their
personal reading time suffered because of school, or work, or social life. I
always found time to read. Always. Even if it was just for those few minutes
before falling asleep. I managed to do that through college, wedding/marriage
and a couple different jobs.
Now I work in editing. I literally correct grammar and
spelling for a living. For 40+ hours a week I scrutinize ads and listings,
looking for mistakes. It’s a great job, I actually really enjoy it! However…
for the first time in my life, my
reading has suffered.
I settle down, open a book… and start looking for errors.
Not on purpose! It’s all habit now. I find that my reading speed is slower than
what it used to be. I’m used to reading slowly now, scanning for mistakes. Even worse, finding mistakes in published
pieces! I understand that mistakes happen. (I work in editing/publishing for
heaven’s sake. I understand mistakes happen!) But once I find a mistake I get
thrown out of the world I was trying to disappear into. I complain to my
husband and usually just get a blank stare back. Reading is easy for him,
incorrect punctuation and improper grammar don’t bother him in the least.
The solution? (Well, not exactly a solution, but a happy
alternative.) AUDIOBOOKS. I’ve always enjoyed them, but now they’re a
lifeline. Within the first week of my job I learned something absolutely
delightful: My coworkers are audiobook junkies.
I will never run out of books to listen to! We have a whole library of
audiobooks here at work. We are even allowed to listen to them while working! I have
one ear bud in 90% of the work day, listening to books and music. My coworkers
are the same. It’s seriously a dream job. (Not to mention that working with
such bookish people is a delight in and of itself.)
Can anyone relate? What are your best tricks to continue to
enjoy reading? Share in the comments below!
Oh yes! I usually won't buy a book on kindle unless I can read the first chapter because incorrect spelling and grammar will definitely ruin what might otherwise have been a good read. Street signs, store signs, emails...I can't turn off my internal critical editor. Audiobooks are a good choice, although there too, I find that mispronounced words or a bad match of reader to text is fatal.
ReplyDeleteI swear, audiobooks saved my life when I started working above full-time. I was spending 60+ hours a week staring at a computer dealing with emails and spreadsheets and people, and I just couldn't get my brain to shut down when I tried to read. I'd get through a page or two and end up thinking about how to deal with such-and-such situation at work, and I'd get distracted. Or I'd just be completely brain-dead and I'd find myself rereading the same page a dozen or so times before giving up.
ReplyDeleteAudiobooks completely saved me. They ACTUALLY keep me from thinking about work when I don't need to, because I force myself to pay attention to them. And as long as my hands are busy with a chore or a puzzle or something (or a game on my phone), I can listen to them for hours.
A job where I could listen to books all day would be a dream. We aren't even allowed to listen to music. I manage to listen to books most of the rest of the time though.
ReplyDeleteI love audiobooks for a different reason, but it does take longer to consume a book.
ReplyDeleteI don't professionally edit books but I do copyedit for work occasionally and I seem to have an eagle eye for mistakes in published books. It's the worst! Usually it doesn't throw me tooooo much but I do get annoyed haha. As far as reading, I do have to take more breaks now in general. I'm tired a lot of the time and if I'm tired, I can't concentrate when I read, and I'm not good at reading only a couple pages at a time. I like to read in chunks! So I tend to give myself breaks from reading (and the guilt) until I feel like it, and I'm much happier than pushing through a book just for the sake of reading. I'm not sure if I'd like audiobooks but maybe I'll give them a try :)
ReplyDeleteI'm the same way. Itry to ignore the mistakes but if there are to many I won't finish reading it. I do love the audio book option.
ReplyDeleteI'm the same way. Itry to ignore the mistakes but if there are to many I won't finish reading it. I do love the audio book option.
ReplyDeleteAudio books have been life savers for me lately. This pregnancy has made it hard to focus on actual written words. I listen in the car on the way to and from work daily.
ReplyDeleteI don't notice errors when reading so much, because I'm usually absorbed into the world and characters enough to not let those issues bother me.
I also work with correcting grammar and proofing... and I listen to a lot of audiobooks! When I read a book, I usually find at least one error. Even proofreaders need proofreaders! ;)
ReplyDeleteSometimes I just get too much screen time with my job to read off my kindle app when I am at home. I listen to audiobooks while I commute (motion sickness and not being able to move my arms on a sardine-packed bus...welcome to Sao Paulo...). I cannot multi-task at all. I can't even listen to music while I work.