Not A 'Proper' Reader?

What is this mythical reading creature we've created?

[rue]

Your realness is what makes you my favorite booktuber.

[Becksnnc]

Being a reader means exactly that. You enjoy reading. It's not about the number of books you read. It's about enjoying the book(s) that you have read.

[Mea_gan]

I'm a one book at a time reader and i feel so much pressure when i see people on booktube reading like 5 book at the same time

[emmawillemijn]

100% agree. I absolutely LOVE reading, but I have times where I don't even read 1 book. I also have times where I read 5 books in a month. It doesn't matter. It really doesn't. Just because I don't finish a book every month, doesn't mean I don't love reading.

[Emzjellybeanz]

I've read nearly 50 books this year and whenever I talk about it I feel the need to add that half of them have been graphic novels, as though otherwise I would be tricking people into thinking I'm a better reader than I actually am.

[merphynapier]

I 100% agree and it's been something I've been thinking about a lot lately. Since creating my booktube channel I've put so much pressure on myself to read all the books NOW. And lately I've been asking myself... "Why?" It's so important to never loose what honestly makes you a reader... the love of reading.

[murakamireads]

I'm in my freshman year at college and I've been so INCREDIBLY stressed out because i haven't been reading as much as when I was in high school - before I'd read 8-10 books a month during the school year and 15-20 books a month during the summer! But since college started, I just simply havent had the time. And honestly, it's made me so stressed out that I 100% have been just skimming books and saying I've read them just so I CAN say I read 7 or 8 books this month and that's SO WRONG. And I realize how awful this is but I still definitely feel that pressure that you're talking about (which makes me continue to do that) and it sucks. We all need to learn something from this video:)

[edaphic]

Exactly, I just read whenever I feel like it, not because I'm pressured (although I can definitely understand the pressure that "public readers" are under). A reader reads because they love reading, and that is that.

[RadioGirLF]

I used to read 100+ books a year but then in February last year I discovered Korean dramas and movies and kpop and they became a huuuge part of my daily life. This year I'm currently on my 50th book and we'll se how it goes. I'm reading significantly less then before and I had some problems with guilt but now... I feel like I don't care anymore. I read when I feel like it, I watch Korean stuff when I feel like it.

[mementomoriadam]

Sorry you have experienced this pressure. I love being a slow reader, I love having the TIME to allow the stories I choose to consume to settle and float around my head. To think about the books I choose to read rather than gobble them up only to get to next.

[GioNavas]

Thank you for saying this because I feel like a massive weight has been lifted from my chest. I've felt so guilty for how little I've read the past two years because life and other interests have begun to have similar importance. I will always love books with all of my heart, but it's so nice to remember that reading is for enjoyment first and foremost and there should never be any stress surrounding it. I love that I can still call myself a bookworm simply because I love books, without having to feel like less of a reader because there are only so many hours in the day. As always, you're brilliant and I'm so thankful for your thoughts, Ariel <3

[TheYellowcrush]

Oh man, thanks for keeping it real. Reading is my everything...but so is writing, and crocheting, and knitting, and my pets, creating art, and so many things! The pressure is totally bizarre abd crazy. Readers are multi-dimensional because we are also human. Love this so much!

[reginasatchellkelly]

I'm an English teacher so I get this. There's always an expectation for 'professional readers " to be epic at reading...but I was a remedial reader coming up and to this day, I read very slowly. I'm an audiobook reader more than I'm a physical book reader, but...I still read and love reading!

[henrygonzalez]

I discovered "BookTube" last month and was immediately overwhelmed by the number of books being read each month. I thought, " What's wrong with me, why am I only reading one book per month?" I ordered 20 books last month and told myself that I would read the bulk of them in one 30 day period. Know What? I won't. Reading is a pleasureful experience for me, and making it a challenge ruins that experience. I, like so many others, read when I can, and enjoy every page and that will never change. Thank you, Ariel, for showing us that, just because we don't read five or six books per month, we are still "readers" and should feel no shame in enjoying one book per month. Love your channel and your personality. You're always a bright spot in my week.

[LeighannesLit]

When I was blogging regularly 5 years ago, I felt exactly this and I think part of the reason that I put it aside was because it started to steal my joy of reading because I felt like I HAD to be reading all the time, like it was tied exclusively to the number of books I read in a year and the amount of posts I put up regarding what I was reading. I appreciate your honesty in this!

[VibrationLitteraire]

i can totally feel that pressure. i think it started when i began to share online about my readings and now the pressure's higher with booktube. someone who's following me told me yesterday "that's great you take time to answer, i thought you would ne reading" ... i'm not ALWAYS reading. kinda have a job and friends and hobbies too ! thanks for that video !

[seekinghappiness]

Hi,
I completely agree. And it's not only an online thing : this pressure can also be felt in real life with anyone who knows one like to read. They will say things like "Oh, you like to read, then you must read for 3 hours strait without getting up your seat, without going to the restroom".
Have a nice day. [sorry if my English isn't very good]

[MollieReads]

YAS GIRL

Love. This. NO SHAME! I struggle with this often. Our identities are more than "reader." And even though part of our identities = reader, that part of our identity doesn't change month to month depending on a number. x

[kpink]

This spoke to me! Yes, I often also feel a weird pressure to be "more" of reader, when really, like you said, caring about reading and finding joy in reading is what makes me a reader, not how often I engage in it.

[sevinm]

While I generally love your videos, the quality of your last few videos has been insane. Keep it up! :)