getting into the readers mind

[mpousoulas]

what is your thinking process or criteria that leads to a book purchase?
Why do you read books?
How many books do you read every year?
If you were going to write a book what subject would you choose and why?

[camille]

I don't buy books at the store very much anymore because I work in a library.

I generally only buy books about history, especially the Transcendentalist period. Not too much fiction.

I read fiction books because I like to get inside writers' heads (or see what comes out of theirs), not really to escape as I know many readers at our library state. Certain authors I get addicted to but only in certain form. I devour the Preston/Child Pendergast series, but don't care much for their individual books. I like flash fiction and short stories more than novels.

I read at least couple of books a week for myself. besides that, I read a lot of young adult fiction for our library to determine placement. I also have a Crystal's Corner at the library for the teen readers. It doesn't include Harry Potter or Stephanie Meyer. Edgier stuff like Go Ask Alice, Burn and Crank (Ellen Hopkins), Tenderness and The Rag and Bone Shop (Robert Cormier), Daniel Half Human: And The Good Nazi (David Chotjewitz). I find myself getting wrapped up more in the YA fiction than I do adult fiction, and I think that's because they often feel restrained not to write 'all the way', so they push the lines because they feel one is there.

If I could write any book, it would be about a teenage girl, like I used to be. There's so much that I want to say and share.

[Violet]

I buy books on compulsion. I could go to the library but I'm terrible with dates and often don't bring the books back on time (or ever) which is extremely disrespectful to the libraries in question, whom id rather support.

I read for knowledge, escapism, to feel my mind push up against itself when I come into contact with new ideas.

Books a year: between thirty and four hundred depending on how much spare time I've got.

I have written two books (not published as my aim wasn't to be published), one high fantasy and the other new weird. I found new weird much easier. If I were to write another it would most likely be semi-autobiographic.

Books sitting on the front seat of my car:

NurtureShock by Po Bronson & Ashley Merryman (Focusing on Children's Development)
Animal's People by Indra Sinha (Biographical of an Indian man affected by an Agent Orange factory spill)
My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult (A gift, very good read. Kid's sister has cancer)
The Complete Handbook of Novel Writing, a collection of essays by various authors (A favourite from when I was younger)
Earth Magic by Steven D. Farmer (My aunt gave this to me, shes trying to convert)
More Flanimals by Ricky Gervais (For the kid's! Funny stuff!)
I Am A Strange Loop by Douglas Hofstadter (Fascinating, explores concept of "self")
Stranger In A Strange Land by Robert Heinlein (Classic science fiction)

[cripple]

but I'm terrible with dates and often don't bring the books back on time (or ever) which is extremely disrespectful to the libraries in question, whom id rather support.

Dunno about that. But it does cost money since they deman a smal sum for the bother of sending the second mail as a reminder. But the reminder goes automatically by email, so this annoys me more, since I'm obviously not finished with the book. I actually find this non personal behaviour rather rude.

I will always bring them back, or else I would have stolen them.

[Violet]

Dunno about that. But it does cost money since they deman a smal sum for the bother of sending the second mail as a reminder. But the reminder goes automatically by email, so this annoys me more, since I'm obviously not finished with the book. I actually find this non personal behaviour rather rude.

I will always bring them back, or else I would have stolen them.

I usually get a phone call with the very dangerous option to re-new from where I am. When I use libraries I often know the librarians by name. Growing up in a very small town the public library was a saviour. I'd have gone crazy from stagnation.

I have a stack of about a dozen books from three different librairies I've had for over a year. They WILL be returned.... whenever I am next in those specific towns.

[Harion]

I don't buy books at the store very much anymore because I work in a library.

i'd love to have your job

what is your thinking process or criteria that leads to a book purchase?
it must be a series i'm following
story premise is intriguing, unique, or very good
book art catches my attention and when i read the blurb, i also like it
it has won the Hugo or Nebula (even finalists make my reading list)

Why do you read books?
coz it gives me mental stimulation i wouldn't get from talking to ppl
pure escapism
it gives me a deep sense of longing and a lot of mixed emotions (esp if it's a very good book)

How many books do you read every year?
i have no count. some year i'd only read two or three, others, i'd read a whole library. depends on my mood really.

If you were going to write a book what subject would you choose and why?
fantasy, love story, psychological drama, science-fiction, autobiographical
in that order

[saltspeaker]

what is your thinking process or criteria that leads to a book purchase?
Why do you read books?
How many books do you read every year?
If you were going to write a book what subject would you choose and why?

Back in university, I bought a lot of books, mostly because there was a great second-hand bookstore on campus with cheap stuff in good condition. I guess I got spoiled - now I tend to hesitate to buy brand new books.

Still, I love browsing at bookstores, and I do buy books on occasion. If I had to guess, maybe 50% of these purchases are impulse buys, and 50% are premeditated. Either I'd been looking for a particular title, for something in the genre, or for something by the author.

My reading cycles in phases through fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. I read them for different reasons: fiction as escape, poetry to admire craftsmanship and precision of language, nonfiction to assimilate new ideas.

On average, I suppose I read about one to two books per week. This isn't regular. Some weeks I can read a book a day, while on others I have no time or energy to read at all. So, say, eighty books a year (not all of them new to me, mind).

If I were to write a book, it would either be a collection of poems or a collection of short stories. I have neither the experience and expertise to put into a nonfiction book nor the creative stamina for a novel, yet.

[mpousoulas]

thank you all for your replies.Very interesting.
I wish i had the motivation to read half the books you read.
I will work on it though.

[Cbug]

What is your thinking process or criteria that leads to a book purchase?
It is often an impulse buy - which I regret later - so I try to avoid bookstores :p (but I let myself browse amazon for hours on end). I buy mainly non-fiction books at the moment. I try to do preliminary research before a book purchase, to get the best price, and to get a book I actually would read more than once, or use as a reference. Most of the books I read are from libraries though (I have a love/hate relationship with libraries; I always have late fees, and angry librarians chasing me).

Why do you read books?
To learn, to expose myself to new viewpoints, to stimulate my imagination, to pass the time, to travel in my mind.

How many books do you read every year?
I really have no idea, I guess at least one book a week, 52+ a year, but reading is my main hobby so probably more. It depends how much I'm on the internet, more internet usually means less book reading.

If you were going to write a book what subject would you choose and why?
I would write a 'coming of age' story, or a non-fiction book about ecological design.

[camille]

thank you all for your replies.Very interesting.
I wish i had the motivation to read half the books you read.
I will work on it though.

What do you read and why?

[mpousoulas]

What do you read and why?

i like to read anything that includes the component of philosophy or psychology. On the other hand i hate reading this kind of books cause they usually come to the same unoriginal conclusions about life. I read those cause i am trying to be surprised but with no success so far.I think that is best for me to find new topics to read about.May be i should read more fantasy stories.

[pangolin]

>>what is your thinking process or criteria that leads to a book purchase?
For Fiction:
Is if part of or related to a series I am already reading? Is it part of an ongoing series? Does it have interesting paranormal or science-fictional propositions/systems/world construct? Does it involve vampires? Does it involve magic? Does it give an actually plot synopsis/teaser on the back (or interior)(that is interesting) rather than some stupid review about the author that tells me nothing about the book?

For non-fiction:
Is it about insects (or other interesting biological topics), occult systems, how-to's on various topics, the influence of religion/ecology/politics/economics on the world, celts, various languages, astronomy/archaeology/architecture or the prevalence of certain mathematical principles in the world?

>>Why do you read books?
Entertainment, information, enlightenment, inspiration.

>>How many books do you read every year?
Hard to say, as I often get subject information books and read 25% to 50% of them (not necessarily in a linear way) before I get bored with them or a new book catches my fancy. Recently I have spent more time reading internet article than books, including the more narrative kind, and I've basically run out of series that are holding my interest. I have some series 'on the table' so to speak, but I've just sort of stalled out in keeping up with them.

>>If you were going to write a book what subject would you choose and why?
My current topic is a world about humanoid insects (or insectoid humanoids, if you will) that utilize a number of interesting biological functions, but culturally (across many different cultures) regard them as 'magic'. A science-fiction book disguised as a fantasy book, to some extent. Haven't got too far with it. Reason, I am interested in biology generally and entomology slightly more, and also in the exploration of things people call magic that really are something that should not be blithely dismissed regardless that they are not actually supernatural, even if their adherents believe them to be. Also, due to my statistically minority sexuality, I am making them all hermaphroditic.

[starjots]

My book choices are usually a random walk. I do have areas of interest, but I think the general question in the back of my mind when browsing is will a particular book teach me something new about myself or the world. Books that look like knock offs or imitations are a off. Genres that are currently in vogue are a turn off as well.

You mentioned wanting to be surprised when you read something - and that sums it up pretty well for me.

I probably average a book every week or two.

[1104]

what is your thinking process or criteria that leads to a book purchase?
density
Why do you read books?
to feed my stagnant mind.
How many books do you read every year?
.5 (five "chapter 1"s)
If you were going to write a book what subject would you choose and why?
the only thing i know extensively: myself.
if i wrote fiction it'd probably read deeply into mundane things.