There are myriad reader types, a topic we often delve into. This time, we're exploring what your reader type says about you. From mood readers to visual readers, expressive readers to those who annotate, the spectrum is vast. Today, I'll be discussing my own fun categorizations: creative readers, comfort (mood) readers, and empathetic readers. Remember, these categories are not meant to limit or label you but to spark a lively discussion. I'm eager to hear your thoughts and your own unique categories. Let’s start with the empathetic reader, shall we?
Our empathetic readers are those who do not like to DNF books and those who will not rate a book lower than three stars. This category is where I’d put myself. Empathetic readers read with the author in mind. They want to support the author regardless of how they feel about one particular book. Also, like me, many believe in that old caveat, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.” Empathetic readers are really appreciated, given that there are readers who proceed from group to group and platform to platform to declare their dislike for your work and you as an author. Sometimes, they’re so dedicated to the cause of widespread bashing that I wonder if they are paid.
I love empathetic readers for their kindness and broad support. It’s okay if that’s not your style, though. Let’s be honest: you are not going to like everything an author writes unless it's written by me (jkjk). It is alright to DNF a book if you are not enjoying it and to give an honest review of a book, as long as you are not bashing it, of course. Reading is supposed to be fun, and when we think about too many things outside of the actual book, that takes some of the fun out of reading. While we, as authors, want to elicit particular emotions, we do not want readers to feel obligated to read or review our books. If one of my works doesn’t catch your attention within a couple of chapters, I’d rather you decide it’s not for you, put it down, and go find something you enjoy!
Another type of reader is our comfort (mood) reader. They re-read books because of the familiarity and the joy they take in the work. Some readers re-read a book every year because it is their favorite, or for a particular season, and even because it’s a mood lifter for them when they are feeling down or depressed. This is why I categorize these readers as comfort or mood readers. These are also the readers who use books to escape and sometimes find relief in reading about the chaotic lives of others instead of dealing with their own. I feel like a lot of readers fall into this category in one way or another. As I mentioned before, reading should be fun, and using reading as a way to escape real life seems like a good deal to me. I definitely do it!
Finally, I want to discuss the creative reader and get to one of the driving forces behind this post—I want to shout out the creative readers who are content creators and curate some of the most beautiful, brilliant interpretations of authors’ work. If you're a visual reader, an expressive reader, or someone who loves to annotate, you're a creative reader in my book. These readers bring stories to life in their minds, act out scenes as they read, and jot down their thoughts and reactions. As authors, we strive to evoke specific emotions and thoughts from our readers. It's a joy to see how readers interpret our characters and stories through their own unique lens. The way readers annotate, matching the colors of their sticky tabs to the book cover, is a testament to their creativity. These are the reasons I categorize these readers as creative readers. Below, I want to showcase some of the beautiful words and images that have been created and/or collaged as interpretations of my works. There have been so many that I regret I can only feature a few. But thank you to @cozyreaderr @_evolvingbeauty888_ @missfancyreads @danninyx_reads and @blklvreader has amazing visuals for several of my books on Facebook!
As I promised, I am here to be your guide for black book events this year, and while it has been a little quiet lately, we have an event coming up next month. Behind The Ink will be taking place on April 13, 2024, in Birmingham, Alabama. This event will feature bestselling authors and an array of vendors. I hope that you can attend. If you do, I would love to hear how it was. As always, I would love to hear your thoughts on this topic. Do you agree with my categories, or do you have your own? Let me know in the comments below, and as always…
Blissful Reading
I'd say I'm the mood reader and creative reader blended into one. As I'm reading, it plays in my head as a movie.
I’m definitely a creative reader I need to be able to express how these characters make me feel in each scene