1️⃣ Evaluate Books Thoughtfully
Whether or not you liked a book and whether or not it was a good book are two different (both valuable) things.
When you finish a book, evaluate, was this:
A) a good reading experience
B) good storytelling
C) good writing
2️⃣ Read Literary Criticism
Taking in and pondering a critical understanding of books will organically develop your own.
3️⃣ Listen to People Talk About Books
There are podcasts and newsletters for both academic, critical book discussions and for “Book Chat”, and both are valuable.
Listening to a wide range of people discuss books will both deepen and widen your own layers of understanding.
Pay attention to observations about genre, trends, writing, and more.
4️⃣ Increase Your Understanding of Genre and Writing
This understanding is best developed slowly and organically.
Begin to pay attention to what books are trying to do and what they aren’t.
Learn to recognize when a book is doing what it aims to well.
A well crafted mystery should be different than masterful literary fiction.
Good readers know the difference.
5️⃣ Check Your Pride and Identity Your Reading Fears
What places are provoked within you when you encounter a critique of a specific book or when you’re prompted to go beyond your comfort zone?
6️⃣ Look Up and Understand the Meaning of Didactic, Dogmatic, and Stilted Language…
And learn to recognize them.
7️⃣ Evaluate Your Aims
Are you more committed to being an “elite reader” or a good one?
The latter requires a commitment to developing good taste, a nuanced perspective, and critical thinking skills.
8️⃣ Read Book Reviews
Both critical and reviews from lay readers.
Examine the presuppositions and biases seemingly held by the reader, what they prioritize in their reading, and what they’re actually saying.
9️⃣ Hear From Authors
Read and listen to author interviews to learn more about what books are aiming to be and how they pursue those aims.
🔟 Diversify Your Reading
NOTHING will (slowly, subtly, sustainably) make you a better reader than reading widely, from every genre, place, and age.
Whether or not you liked a book and whether or not it was a good book are two different (both valuable) things.
When you finish a book, evaluate, was this:
A) a good reading experience
B) good storytelling
C) good writing
2️⃣ Read Literary Criticism
Taking in and pondering a critical understanding of books will organically develop your own.
3️⃣ Listen to People Talk About Books
There are podcasts and newsletters for both academic, critical book discussions and for “Book Chat”, and both are valuable.
Listening to a wide range of people discuss books will both deepen and widen your own layers of understanding.
Pay attention to observations about genre, trends, writing, and more.
4️⃣ Increase Your Understanding of Genre and Writing
This understanding is best developed slowly and organically.
Begin to pay attention to what books are trying to do and what they aren’t.
Learn to recognize when a book is doing what it aims to well.
A well crafted mystery should be different than masterful literary fiction.
Good readers know the difference.
5️⃣ Check Your Pride and Identity Your Reading Fears
What places are provoked within you when you encounter a critique of a specific book or when you’re prompted to go beyond your comfort zone?
6️⃣ Look Up and Understand the Meaning of Didactic, Dogmatic, and Stilted Language…
And learn to recognize them.
7️⃣ Evaluate Your Aims
Are you more committed to being an “elite reader” or a good one?
The latter requires a commitment to developing good taste, a nuanced perspective, and critical thinking skills.
8️⃣ Read Book Reviews
Both critical and reviews from lay readers.
Examine the presuppositions and biases seemingly held by the reader, what they prioritize in their reading, and what they’re actually saying.
9️⃣ Hear From Authors
Read and listen to author interviews to learn more about what books are aiming to be and how they pursue those aims.
🔟 Diversify Your Reading
NOTHING will (slowly, subtly, sustainably) make you a better reader than reading widely, from every genre, place, and age.
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