Thursday 13 February 2014

Reading Survey

Besides books, I enjoy reading graphic novels and interactive blogs such as tumblr. Graphic novels have held a special interest for me ever since I can remember. My father is an artist and has always tried to inspire an appreciation for the arts in his children. In fact, a lot of my dad's motivation to pursue a career in such a competitive and financially insecure field came from his childhood love of comic books. Marvel, DC and Archie were among his favourites. Personally, I prefer the simple storyline of an Archie, but picking up the latest spin off of Spider-Man reminds me of my dad. They also remind me of a simpler time when comic books or graphic novels were written and drawn by one author/artist-instead of the countless no names who have taken the original creation and twisted it into so many different plot lines its hard to follow. Comics and graphic novels are a continual reminder of artistic integrity.

Most of the books I have on my shelf at home I have read and reread multiple times. I find that when I reread a book after leaving it for a certain length of time, I forget many details of the plot line. It can also be interesting to reread a book after gaining new perspective on the subject matter or simply maturing. Some of the books I have reread include the Inkheart trilogy, the Thirst series by Christopher Pike, classics such as Call of the Wild, White Fang, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and many other random picks.

When I read I am able to become completely immersed in the story, as long as it holds enough interest with me. I am the type of person who wants to read a book before seeing the movie version so that I may imagine what characters and settings look like on my own. Sometimes a great novel can be spoiled and have the surprise taken out of it if the reader already knows the ending. A quiet environment is not that important to me as a reader, since I am very good at focusing on the book and blocking out distractions.

Reading has been important to me ever since I learned how to do it. The experience of reading is so versatile that its impossible to imagine how anyone could go without. Reading means a source of knowledge and escape for me. My hobby of reading has been a great asset in my life since it has helped me expand my vocabulary, improve my writing skills and enhance my creativity. I truly enjoy writing; whether it be journaling, poetry or short stories. Thinking about the writing styles of some of my favourite authors has given me the means to develop and alter my own style. I firmly believe that reading opens your mind to possibilities and writing is an outlet for those wonderful thoughts. To me, reading means opportunity.

My goal as a reader for this semester is to step away from the YA genres that typically draws my interest and to read more novels that contain less of the gimmicks marketed towards teens and more in-depth material. This is something I should do more often since I am well aware that my skills as a reader are strong enough to push myself to the next level. The main thing holding me back is a lack of interest in most adult fiction and possibly a bit of laziness. At 18, of course I am still drawn to YA topics like "vampires" and "dystopia" but the content is quickly becoming very dry and a bit too overhyped. I would love to read more classics from a time when writing a good book didn't always mean selling out or giving in to trends. I would like to try reading some non-fiction as well.

                           ***
I own a Blackberry Curve smartphone and although it is a little outdated, it does have Internet access with my data plan. Unfortunately, I do not own an iPad or laptop but I do possess a fourth generation iPod touch that I bring to school almost everyday. Last year for Christmas my mom bought me a Kobo mini that I absolutely adore. Like many teenagers, I have Twitter and tumblr but I don't typically post any of my written works, usually just observations about life. I am interested in learning more about blogging and how to maintain a good blog.

0 comments:

Post a Comment

Template developed by Confluent Forms LLC; more resources at BlogXpertise