How To Do Stuff Well

03. How to Read Well

I really don't want to just give a trite tip on How to Read Well and just say make sure you read something that you're interested in because, while that's fine as far as it goes, it totally rules out the possibility of finding new interests in life. Instead, I'm going to go with something I read on a blog called sharpbrains.com called Eight Tips to Remember What You Read. Of course, I didn't actually read the article myself - I just took the list of eight from it. You wouldn't want a whole bunch of plagiarised stuff, now would you?

Remembering is important when you read. If you don't remember stuff then it's as if you've never read it in the first place and, like, what's the point in that? It'd be like getting to the end of a day and not being able to recall one single thing that you enjoyed about it. I mean, forget the things that you didn't like - who wants to remember that stuff! It's the good stuff you want to keep in your box of memories, right?

So, on with the show. Here are the eight things:

First up is to read with a purpose. To me this means that you should know before you start whether you're reading that book/poetry/magazine/webpage to educate you, entertain you or just send you to sleep at bedtime. Then you have to skim first. I always do this. I read the cover, the chapter headers, the end matter and then I flick through the book before I start reading. It gives me a sense of what I'm getting myself into before I start. It's like looking at a map before setting off on a trip. Then you got to get the reading mechanics right. I guess this is about ... erm ... actually I haven't a clue what this is. Never mind. Next! Then comes the instruction to be judicious in highlighting and note-taking. I've seen many a Mills and Boon romance that's been highlighted in this way. Not! Next up is think in pictures. This is interesting! But then again, when I think about it, I do this already. I just never thought about it like that. Then comes the idea to rehearse as you go along. Again, I've not a clue what this means. How do you rehearse a scene from Lord of the Rings? Hmm. Up next is to stay within your attention span and work to increase that span. Yeah - I totally agree. There's nothing worse than falling asleep partway down a page. Unless, of course, that was what you intended. Lastly comes rehearse again soon. Seeing as I didn't know what the whole rehearsal thing was about in the first place, this has flown over my head and disappeared into the clear, blue sky from whence it probably came.

Well, what a load of tosh that was! I think that I'm going to go back to my original advice. If you want to Read Well then read something you're interested in. But, every now and again - pick up something that's slightly outside your comfort zone. It doesn't hurt to have a little stretch every now and again.

So, that's your lot for now. I hope you enjoyed it. Read on for more How to tips.