Monogamous or Polygamous

Riffle Reading Hack #7: Easy tips to help you read more books, shared every Monday by the bookworms at Riffle!

Yes, readers, this week we’re getting personal: are you monogamous or polygamous with your books? In last week’s Reading Hack we considered those times when a book relationship just doesn’t work out. And that got us thinking—maybe there are other relationship issues stopping you from reading more…

It seems there are two types of book lover: firstly, the reader who is hopelessly devoted to their current book of choice. This reader immerses themselves in a single book world from the moment they turn that first page: this book’s characters are their only current book companions, and this author is the sole voice narrating in their head. Meanwhile, our second type of reader likes to read around. This book nerd has a fiction book on the go, a nonfiction alternative they’re midway through, and a sneaky audio book in the car as well. The landscape of characters they’re living among can be positively Dickensian in scale.

There are a number of reasons why you might choose to be the former or the latter of these readerly types. Monogamous readers get the benefits of being far less confused by differing plots and characters; they also often feel as if they’ve done a book justice by only marinating in what that one author has to say. Their reading experience may also be more relaxing without jumping around from book to book. Meanwhile, polygamous readers get to delay a special ending they just don’t want to reach yet; they can switch things up if a book is getting too emotionally intense or too dull; and on a practical note they can leave that hardback at home and swap it for an ebook when they’re out and about.

The important thing here is to identify how you are reading books, and to work out if that’s actually helping you to keep reading or not.

Ok, so we’ve established people love books differently. But which of these styles is better for reading more books? It’s actually likely to be an even split. The important thing here is to identify how you are reading books, and to work out if that’s actually helping you to keep reading or not. Maybe you’re trying to juggle multiple titles and find yourself re-reading pages or whole chapters to work out what’s going on. Or maybe your commitment to one book—particularly one you’re not really enjoying—is making you reluctant to turn those pages. In such cases it may be worth experimenting with your book relationship style. In other words, monogamists—shake things up by trying some literary speed-dating; and polygamists—try moving in with just that one book!

What are the advantages to this drastic relationship experimentation? Monogamous readers may discover that reading, say, two books at once allows a unique dialogue between those two, and that ideas and connections are stirred up in the larger forest of words that may not have been if each book were read in isolation. Or perhaps you’ll find that one book just feels right for bed time, and the other suits your commuting mood. And for polygamous bookworms? Devotion to a single read may allow a polygamist to be more deeply consumed by a book’s world, messages, and relationships, opening them to a more profound and nourishing connection with that one read. And perhaps you’ll discover you love a character’s continuing company during rush hour, lunch time, and for a sleepy evening on the couch.

Devotion to a single read may allow a polygamist to be more deeply consumed by a book’s world

If you’re feeling skeptical about changing up your book relationships, why not allow yourself a trial run. A brief window to at least explore whether you might get more joy from books, and read more, if you experiment with which book (or books!) you take to bed.

Look out for our latest reading hack next Monday! #MondayMotivation