These past few months I’ve come back to reading novels for the first time, really, since I was a kid. I just read them an alternative to scrolling, though, so I don’t really pay much attention. When I sit down to watch a film, I try to make sure my mind is clear, my environment is undistracting, and I try to watch observantly and engage on multiple levels. Not always easy to maintain that level of attention even for a 1.5-3h movie, to try to do so for a novel seems unreasonable. I’ve felt mostly indifferent about the novels I’ve been reading during this streak. I had one moment where I felt moved but I can’t really speak eloquently as to why or how. I have too many goals that matter infinitely more to me to make becoming a more refined conscientious fiction reader a goal, but I’m curious by-the-by how other (more experienced?) people approaach their reading.
I don’t think so deeply about it. I am like the poster above, just pick up the book and read it, just like you pick up the phone and read any post, before scrolling to the next.
I did use to skim on most of the descriptions, so I would get the meat of the story, but not all the flowery imagery with it, but that was when I was more into finishing more books than actually enjoying them. Now I don’t care about that, just focus on what I am reading and try to enjoy it.