Roa'a A bro same. I'm so glad I recently rediscovered and subscribed to you, Ariel. also this might be weird but if you want to check out another cool Ariel on UA-cam, her name is Ariel McCleary and she makes music
I'm the same. I can't read loads of books at the same time. I like to be fully committed to just one book and then when that book is finished I move onto the next one.
Well, I read 7 at a time. However, it is crazy to see all that a fitness trainer can do compared to me. We just can't and shouldn't compare ourselves to others.
I honestly don't see the appeal of reading more than one book at a time? I mean I understand if you're reading one for school and one on your own time or something like that, but otherwise I just don't get it.
If I read more than one book, unless the second one is an audiobook, at the same time it's almost always going to put me in some sort of reading slump, because it stresses me out so much so I just shut down and don't read for a while instead. I find it so much more relaxing to just focus on one book at the time.
Good on you! Keep doing one at a time. Somehow I keep ending up reading 3 or more at a time. Usually when I'm already stressed out. And then it stresses me out even more. It's awful. I don't even know how it happens.
I've read nearly 50 books this year and whenever I talk about it I feel the need to add that half of them have been graphic novels, as though otherwise I would be tricking people into thinking I'm a better reader than I actually am.
Ariel Bissett I also feel guilty adding graphic novels to my Goodreads or books read count. Like does this count even though I read it in 3 hours and it had pictures?
AlliesBeautyTips I know how you feel I'm not going to make or exceed my number from last year and it bugs me but I'm trying to let it go. Most of the booktubers I watch do 4-8 books a month but I've seen some do like 12 😳 and all I can think is well I need to step it up maybe I'll stop sleeping lol. But I agree completely with Ariel if you love reading that's what matters. Congrats on your 31 books I hope they've all been fantastic!
100% agree. I absolutely LOVE reading, but I have times where I don't even read 1 book. I also have times where I read 5 books in a month. It doesn't matter. It really doesn't. Just because I don't finish a book every month, doesn't mean I don't love reading.
I used to read 100+ books a year but then in February last year I discovered Korean dramas and movies and kpop and they became a huuuge part of my daily life. This year I'm currently on my 50th book and we'll se how it goes. I'm reading significantly less then before and I had some problems with guilt but now... I feel like I don't care anymore. I read when I feel like it, I watch Korean stuff when I feel like it.
Yes! Sometimes I go through lots of books at once, but then sometimes there are suddenly so many good Kdramas on at one time and then my favourite Kpop group has a comeback (BTS!) I have to do other things. My problem I think I have is that I'm interested in so many different things and hobbies that I get overwhelmed by them all and end up not doing half of them because there's no time. :(
My goal on Goodreads this year started out as 75, then went down to 50, and now it's 45. Last year I read more than 50, so I wanted to increase that goal, but I'm also a college student and I work. As much as I love reading (I'm a library science major for crying out loud), school is more important to me than how many books I read (also I love kdramas and anime and those take up a lot of time). I'm really glad you made this video because I feel like it took some of the pressure off
Sorry you have experienced this pressure. I love being a slow reader, I love having the TIME to allow the stories I choose to consume to settle and float around my head. To think about the books I choose to read rather than gobble them up only to get to next.
This video couldn't have come in a better time. I'm in a difficult stage of my life right now and i feel like when it comes to escape from reality, from this kind of situations i should read. Because that's what i have always done to set my mind off things, because as a reader that's what i should be looking forward to do right? But instead i find myself watching Good Mythical Morning or looking for a movie in Netflix and feeling guilty while doing so. Why am i not reading? What happened to that urge to travel to different worlds without actually moving? And that's when this video came along and i'm so grateful that you made me see that it's okay. That it doesn't make me less of a reader and i shouldn't feel presured or guilty. Just thank you so much for making me feel understood and better about myself :)
I 100% agree and it's been something I've been thinking about a lot lately. Since creating my booktube channel I've put so much pressure on myself to read all the books NOW. And lately I've been asking myself... "Why?" It's so important to never loose what honestly makes you a reader... the love of reading.
Thank you for saying this because I feel like a massive weight has been lifted from my chest. I've felt so guilty for how little I've read the past two years because life and other interests have begun to have similar importance. I will always love books with all of my heart, but it's so nice to remember that reading is for enjoyment first and foremost and there should never be any stress surrounding it. I love that I can still call myself a bookworm simply because I love books, without having to feel like less of a reader because there are only so many hours in the day. As always, you're brilliant and I'm so thankful for your thoughts, Ariel
YAS GIRL YAAASSSSS. Love. This. NO SHAME! I struggle with this often. Our identities are more than "reader." And even though part of our identities = reader, that part of our identity doesn't change month to month depending on a number. x
Thank you for posting this. I read slower than the average person (if it takes most people one minute to read a page, it takes me three), and sometimes it takes me a month to read one book for whatever reason. And then I see all these weekly wrap ups people do where they finish 12 books in one week. I actually joined this challenge to read 75 books this year. I'm almost there but I look back on the year, and I see that I missed out on doing other things because I have felt such a pressure to be a "real" reader. Needless to say, my goal for 2017 is to read less. I still love books!
I've been following your videos for quite a while....many have touched me & I wish I had commented before. This one was the one I really had to comment on because it was so freeing for me. I've been an avid reader since I was a child. When I was younger I could read up to 20 books a month. However, as I got older my reading habits changed...I starting narrowing my reading genres, sticking with fav authors & series, and had to deal with "becoming an adult" (getting a job, dealing with kids, bills, etc). Now, I may only get the chance to read 1-3 books a month. Some on Good Reads & Book Tube may scoff at such a small number of reads....but even so, I still consider myself an avid reader. I feel no shame in not reading as much as another reader, esp since I realize that any time I have available to read nowadays is precious. For half an hour on that day, I was able to escape my reality & enjoy another world (be it a sci-if/fantasy, romance or even a murder mystery). I think this is the main reason I stopped using Good Reads & other book tracking sites - I wanted to enjoy my reading on my own terms. I still use these sites for recommendations, but I've stopped posting myself...because I AM a proper reader in my eyes. I'm sure some may hate my comment, but your video touched on a number of my hidden fears. Thank you for freeing me!!!
I'm in my freshman year at college and I've been so INCREDIBLY stressed out because i haven't been reading as much as when I was in high school - before I'd read 8-10 books a month during the school year and 15-20 books a month during the summer! But since college started, I just simply havent had the time. And honestly, it's made me so stressed out that I 100% have been just skimming books and saying I've read them just so I CAN say I read 7 or 8 books this month and that's SO WRONG. And I realize how awful this is but I still definitely feel that pressure that you're talking about (which makes me continue to do that) and it sucks. We all need to learn something from this video:)
Yes! The pressure! Even outside of booktube, as someone who has studied English lit, and now creative writing, there are expectations to have read so many books - I never read Catcher in the Rye, or Ulysses, or A Midsummer Night's Dream - but it's just kind of expected. I can't read everything (much as I would like to). But yes! I am a reader - and I feel that pressure too :)
I study audiovisual design and my teachers expect me to have seen every movie ever. So I feel the pressure both for not reading enough and for not watching enough "classic" movies. It's a lot to handle
Oh man, thanks for keeping it real. Reading is my everything...but so is writing, and crocheting, and knitting, and my pets, creating art, and so many things! The pressure is totally bizarre abd crazy. Readers are multi-dimensional because we are also human. Love this so much!
This video is so on point about book reading (or maybe hobby). There shouldn't be any pressure at all while having hobbies. It's at our own comfort and leisure while we enjoying our own hobbies, well for instance, reading. I've been enjoying your videos even more after well... let's not mention it. Keep it up Ariel, your content is really really great for discussion.
i can totally feel that pressure. i think it started when i began to share online about my readings and now the pressure's higher with booktube. someone who's following me told me yesterday "that's great you take time to answer, i thought you would ne reading" ... i'm not ALWAYS reading. kinda have a job and friends and hobbies too ! thanks for that video !
Amen to this!! I feel so much pressure to read all the time, and I feel guilty when I do other stuff instead of reading, but then that puts me in a slump! I'll stick to my love of reading at a slow and steady pace :)
I love your discussions so much ariel! I read over 100 books last year, but at this point in the year I've real 'only' 65. I use quotations because although it's so much less than last year it's still a huge amount of books, so many of which I love. I was originally stressed about the number but recently I've relaxed heaps and come to appreciate what I have read, instead of caring so much just about a number on a screen that people will see
This spoke to me! Yes, I often also feel a weird pressure to be "more" of reader, when really, like you said, caring about reading and finding joy in reading is what makes me a reader, not how often I engage in it.
you're so right about it Ariel! loved this video! ❤ Reading should never feel like a competition or a responsability, it's about having fun and loving the worlds we visit and meet new characters we will surely fall in love with later on. It's terrible to feel pressure over something that should be enjoyable.
Brilliant. There are too many pressures in life for reading to become one too. I think, just stay true to why/how you read and that will shine through - reading is such a deeply personal thing anyway. x
I don't read as much as I used to read. When I was younger, I could breeze through 50-75 books a year. Now, with three kids and a job, I'm lucky to read a book a month. Ariel, I love this video! Also, do more spoken poems. I loved your most recent one (Thigh Gaps and other things...?)!! 💙
Again you're delivering a video right when I need it! This will probably be the first year I don't reach my goodreads goal (which I already lower once). But so much has gone on in my life this reach I shouldn't care that I'm only reading a book and half a month!
I agree wholeheartedly. As a new booktuber, I look at other booktubers and I feel like there's this unspoken pressure to read a bunch of books a month or to read certain kinds of books and I have to constantly remind myself that it isn't about reading to please other people. It's about reading to please myself. If I read lots of books then awesome but if not, that's totally fine as well. Really enjoyed this video.
When I was blogging regularly 5 years ago, I felt exactly this and I think part of the reason that I put it aside was because it started to steal my joy of reading because I felt like I HAD to be reading all the time, like it was tied exclusively to the number of books I read in a year and the amount of posts I put up regarding what I was reading. I appreciate your honesty in this!
Totally agree with this Ariel. Recently I've struggled with reading a lot slower than usual, and feeling like I don't have as much to talk about on my channel - but I'm slowly getting used to taking my time!
I feel this so much!! I really wish that I could read more, but sometimes life just gets in the way especially during school. This is the first week in over month where I haven't had a test or a project due. And as much as I enjoy reading, school really stressing me out and when I get home at the end of the day I just want to relax and watch TV because watching TV is so much easier to do when I'm exhausted than reading.
It's more than a booktube thing, too! I felt this ridiculous pressure whilst studying my undergrad when I would sit in seminars or meetings with tutors and they would just throw a bunch of names at me expecting me to have read/be familiar with most if not all of them! It made me feel so out of place and I began questioning if I'd made the right decision in studying literature at all. This video has been such a reassurance, as I didn't dare raise the point with any of my peers in fears of revealing myself as a "fraud". Thank you so very much!
This is something i needed to hear. This year i've been really busy with school and i also became obsessed with kpop, so i didn't read as much as i wanted. At first i felt really guilty but if i start to think about it, my love for reading is still there, so i shouldn't worry. Great video ariel!! (as always). Greetings from argentina💞
Thank you. I just realized that the main reason I never considered making a bootube account was because I felt like I didn't read enough and would not have enough to talk about. You've shown me it's not necessarily about the tags and hauls, it's about the important discussions and topics related to reading. Your videos are so important, so thank you!
I soooo needed to hear this. Reading pressure dragged me into a horrible reading slump last year where for a few months I didn't read anything at all. It was sad, and disappointing, and weirdly enough induced a lot of guilt in me because I wasn't living up to my 'reader' identity.
I loved this video! When I first started watching booktube, I was a little shocked to see the crazy numbers of books that some booktubers read in a month. It definitely made me think about my own reading for a second and wonder if I was reading enough to be, like you said, a "proper reader". But I truly think that all that really matters is that you read what you want to, how much you want to, and that you enjoy what you manage to read!
I feel like you're speaking how I've been feeling for the past few months. Sometimes I've felt invalid because I don't read 5-10 books a month, resulting in me hardly talking about my "current reads" or "tbr". Thank you for sharing this
This is a great message to all. Sitting down and reading is all that really counts. I am a mother of 5 and a grandmother of 9, but who is counting, and I give books for every occasion. My one fast rule is that I have already read the book. That means that in addition to the books I want to read, I read one heck of a lot of picture books and children's books. But, who is counting, or even caring what we read. Real book lovers love people to read - period. Thanks for the reminder. Always enjoy hearing what you have say!
I feel this so much, especially right now! I haven't read a single book in two months because I just wasn't feeling it. I have this problem that when I start a hobby I find it difficult to keep up with other hobbies. So when I really got into reading I stopped watching tv shows and movies, now that I started writing I stopped reading. It was hard at first but I'm now at the point where I feel like I need to stop feeling guilty about it and just accept it. I know that I will return to reading soon enough and I already finished my goodreads goal so there's actually no pressure to pick up a book right now.
These past two videos have spoken to me so much and made me really emotional. I stress so much about not reading enough and if that means I am not a reader...I struggle with this thought that I am a "fake reader" or "poser" because I sometimes can't even finish one book a month. I own all these books and check out all these books from the library but I don't read half of them. I still love reading though and I still read everytime I get a chance and I am constantly thinking about books. So I understand your struggle and you sharing it makes me realize it is ok and I am not alone or a fake.
Thank you for this. Mental health issues have sapped my love of reading from me, especially over the past few years. I've read like 9 books this year and those were hard-fought; I had to force myself to read because I had no motivation or focus. I feel like I can't even call myself a reader now, but this video speaks to me and eases me. Thank you, Ariel (:
Just found your site and thank you for voicing what so many of us feel. I consider myself a reader, but I don't read as often as I would like with my job, studying and family life. I will still set myself a yearly number but only as a guide.
I literally love you so much, I admire your unique perspective on something we all love and how it is okay to live as a reader the way you want to live as a reader. I hope to meet you someday and have a lovely chat! :)
i couldn't agree more!! i never agreed so much with a video!!! only as reader and not booktuber i feel that preasure about reading, so i can imagine how you feel. when i hear someone saying 'loved this book, read it in a day' i feel that is an impossible scenario for me just because i'm incapable of focusing so much time in row on text although i love reading with all my heart and soul.
I love this! I was thinking about this today in that as I consider myself a reader I must always read to the point that it becomes a chore...I love running and I would listen to audiobooks to run to instead of music and put myself into a terrible slump. Never again. I'll read only wen I want to and what I want to and that's good enough for me.
I love this so much. Lately I have been beating myself up about not reading as much. I found myself joking and referring to myself as not being a "good reader". Thank you so much for putting up this very relatable video
Thank you Ariel! I've read over 100 books last year and was feeling so bad that I've just gone over 20 this year and you're making me feel so much better about it
Thanks for putting this out there. I only read 1-2 books a month typically. I agree, as long as you are getting something out of your reading material, whether it be for pleasure or academia, than quantity does not matter!
I think as long as you enjoy reading, and do it whenever you feel like doing it, you are a "proper" reader. As simple as that. I understand the pressure someone could feel, tho. Love all your videos :)
I love this video!! I totally feel this pressure sometimes but I try to remind my self, as you said in the videi, that it doesn't really matter and that I shouldn't be comparing myself with others. The important thing is that we are reading (no matter if it is a novel, short story, graphic novel, poetry, etc) and that we enjoy it.
I'm so happy you made this video! There are so many books that I forced myself to read because of Booktube. I also am a fan of the literary fiction genre and I really don't see a lot of that on here. So, watching this made me realize one thing. I'm reading for myself and no one else!
I am an incredibly fast reader, I can read something like 1500 words a minute. In 2014 I read over 450 books. In 2015 I read at least 300. This year? 50. Maybe. I haven't suddenly started reading at a much slower rate. I just didn't feel interested anymore, the depression I'd been struggling with for years finally caught up with me. There's this nagging guilt that I should be reading more. Up until this year, reading was my only hobby. I was a Reader, I was a Gifted Child, that was my entire identity. This year I've created an identity for myself outside of reading and I finally feel able to read again and not worry about how much or how little I'm doing. And you know what? I've read three books this week, more than I have in a long time.
Thank you for sharing, I think this resonates with a lot of us. I love reading as well and a lot of my friends know this and there is always this expectation of having read a new book when I speak to them again even though I've been pursuing other hobbies.
I love this video. Thank you so much for making it! I feel the same pressure to read a certain amount of books to make people satisfied, when I'm not actually enjoying most of the books I read. I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels this way. Thank you for your lovely video❤️️📚
I agree with everything!!! The other thing that pressures me is taking "reading breaks" where I just am not in the mood to read at all for weeks and I feel guilty, but I know I'll eventually come back to it so no need for the guilt
I'm not even a public reader and I find myself feeling the pressure of not reading enough as a reader. It's nice to hear this Ariel and I hope that now you have gotten this off your chest you feel more comfortable! Read what you want when you want !!!
I used to read every night and read about 80 books a year because I had so much free time in the first four years of high school, now i'm a senior and I have to focus on studying and deal with the stress that comes with it and I replaced reading with watching movies and shows every night which I really love and I just started going to the gym after school which leaves me only reading a chapter or two a day! This year I only read 12 books :( and instead of writing in my free time, theres no space for it so I find myself making a habit of jotting down small notes and ideas for doing it in the future instead of actually doing it.... this is how you can tell that your childhood is over when you don't have all that free time anymore, i felt like because i don't prioritize it I'm not a reader, but i am!
I feel like I'm a reader because I do enjoy the time I spend reading and consider it as a hobby. I can either read book after book for a whole month or just completely stop for months (mainly because of school), and I loved that you mentioned how we as readers feel the constant pressure to read as many books as we can, and question if we can still consider and call ourselves avid readers.
I just came across your channel and this was the first video of yours that I watched, and may I say, you are now my new favorite person! I agreed with everything you said, and it was fantastic!
Yes! Everyone knows I love to read and sometimes if I bring the same book to school for a week or two in a row people will comment on how it's taking me longer to read it than usual. But it really doesn't matter as long as I'm enjoying it when I do read.
God. This speaks to me on a spiritual level. I’m not kidding. So I’ve always liked books and the idea of it, but actually reading was difficult for me due to lots of stuff, one being concentration. I’m an adult now and I’ve been trying to pick up the slack and read as many books as I could so that if I said “I’m a reader” I could have proof to back that up. Hell right now I’m flying through audiobooks to “catch up” on all the years I never read. (On a side note, I found that i tend to like audiobooks more than physically reading. Helps me pay attention better. Lol it’s like I’m a kid again being read to XD) So thank you Ariel. I know you probably won’t read this since it’s an older video. But I appreciate content like this so very much.
That's a really great and honest video! Sometimes I feel this pressure too, when I see that I read just one or two books a month. I always try to remind myself that I shouldn't take reading as a duty but as something I love doing :D
Ariel the reason why I like your channel it's because you're genuine. There's no monthly wrap-up and you're not the "ugh! I only read 7 books this month..." type of person . Being a reader can be stressful. And I feel booktube should be more about sharing that love for books not about competing to see who reads more... I am definetely a reader °u°
Well the good thing is that all this pressure is self-imposed :) You already have it figured out - when you said "no one cares" - it's so true! No one is keeping score! It is easy to get caught up though. I'm glad I came to book blogging later in life, there was never any possibility of me reading 100+ per year. That ship has sailed!
The pressure is not always bad. I have certainly read more books after joining goodreads than I used to read before! And some of those extra book reading was possible because of the yearly goal tool of GR and by seeing how other people were reading so much. But I never allowed the pressure to do damage in my pleasure of reading. I am reading more but also making sure that I read as much as I enjoy, not a single book beyond that.
This is so true. I went a few months earlier this year barely reading anything. And I started doing booktube videos during that time! I was making videos about books and reading while I wasn't even reading. But I'm a reader.
I love this so much. I absolutely adore that I discovered Booktube. It has skyrocketed my already huge love for reading. It has introduced me to SO many amazing books I might have never discovered on my own. But I have felt this pressure this year. If I don't read 10 books a month I feel bad. If I spend a day binge watching Netflix I feel guilty and feel like I have to make it up. Thank you for this video (and the tracking our reading video.) Keep it up! It's honestly helping pull me back down to reality.
YES! thank you so much for this video. sometimes i feel like the only person who feels pressured to read like 10 books a month when with my natural speed ( = read when i feel like reading and as many or few pages i feel like reading at that time) i'll usually finish maybe one book every few months. doesn't make me love books any less.
THIS VIDEO. YES. As soon as I started watching booktube I started reading a lot more. I am a slow reader, however, and also have other hobbies. So, I never read nearly as many books as a lot of booktubers (I read an average of 20 books a year) and it really bummed me out. I also felt like I could never become a booktuber because I don't read enough. Loved this video and I agree with you so much!!!
I really feel like I've benefited from the affirmation this video offers. It's one of the first videos of yours I have watched, and I'm now certain that I will subscribe and truly enjoy your content.
Hi Ariel! I completely agree with you on this topic... I love to read, but I often feel like I'm not a real and passionate reader because I don't read as many books as others do, or because I can't afford buying 10 books every month, and I think it's so strange because reading should be a pleasure and not something full of pressure! Totally feel your pain :)
I've written blog posts in the past where I've been like 'I only read one book this month, I'll do better next month' but I see it now as... better compared to what? There is no scale that I need to compare one month's reading against another's! You're so right, as always!
Ariel, I totally get where you're coming from! All throughout middle school and high school I've been an avid reader. But ever since my senior year, I haven't really been 'reading'. I've read about 15 books so far this year, and I don't consider myself 'a reader' anymore. But since you've brought this up, I realize now that I still am- I just have other hobbies and priorities right now (especially since I'm in Uni rn). Actually, I've started reading fan-fiction way more than I read novels, and honestly, I consider those works just as valid as published novels. I even read a fic that was 490,000+ words and it is honestly the best piece of work that I've ever read. So just because what I read is not a novel, does not discount the validity of me being a reader... Thank you for making me realize that! p.s. while I was re-reading "To All The Boys I've Loved Before", I was thinking, 'wow, this feels like I'm reading a fanfic...'
Yes! I really like this video and I relate to this so much. I am in highschool (in 10th grade) and I've felt so ashamed because I haven't been reading as much as I did in earlier years. HS has been emotionally challenging and stressful and I don't feel as motivated to read (for fun. My school requires us to read a lot which I enjoy but I still don't do it as much outside of school). Thank you for saying this.
Ive always felt this pressure because even though I've always felt I was a reader I don't really read that much. I only knew I was a reader because when I was little, learning to read was really fun and quite easy, and I was also obsessed with reading every sign and poster I saw. But I read very few books. When I went to university I read a bunch instead of actually studying and paying attention in class. And then when I dropped out and got really depressed, I would read over 100 books a year. Then I went back to university and barely read anything outside of required readings. Just got my bachelor's and about to start on my masters, all in writing. But am barely pushing out a book every couple of months.
I always feel guilty about the amount of books I read because I'm a writer and it's sort of a requirement, but this video made me feel a tad better. My passion for writing came from reading, and I used to read about 5 books a week, but now my writing requires more of my attention than other people's - and understandably because I'm nowhere close to where those authors are. I will still try to read more, of course, but I won't stress it on myself as much. Thank you so much for the video, Ariel! :)
I am totally with you. I have many days where I would rather sit at my computer and watch people talk about books than actually read one. I constantly feel guilty for the books that I buy because they are gorgeous and I want them on my shelf but I know I wont get to for probably months. Sometimes I feel more like a booktube watcher and a book collector more than I feel like a reader. Yes, I am those things, and I think that is ok, but at the end of the day when I'm in the mood to read and I sit down and read a book and love it so much that I can't put it down, I am also a reader. I think you are right that those other hobbies and interests don't negate the fact that I am a reader, all be it a reader who has other hobbies as well, but a reader all the same. Thank you for reminding me of that.
Exactly, I just read whenever I feel like it, not because I'm pressured (although I can definitely understand the pressure that "public readers" are under). A reader reads because they love reading, and that is that.
okay I'm not a person who has a book youtube channel or blog about my reads HOWEVER I know people who are bookworms who always read "elite lit" so basically they don't read YA or a genre to that standard without mocking it. and I always see posts of their mocking some books people recommended or whatever you get the idea right ? and it adds so much pressure. it's like the top reason why I don't like documenting my reads online, but goodreads is so nice ! but like you, i've come to the conclusion that I started reading in the first place for leisure ! so whatever we read (or not read) in whatever amount is fine
I'm an English teacher so I get this. There's always an expectation for 'professional readers " to be epic at reading...but I was a remedial reader coming up and to this day, I read very slowly. I'm an audiobook reader more than I'm a physical book reader, but...I still read and love reading!
Thank you for this reassurance! I also truly believe that if you want to think of yourself as a reader and you only read one book a month, you still are!
I feel this way all the time. I've started college and I don't have all the time I had to read as before. I also feel so much pressure from how many books I own and I haven't read. I just have to keep telling myself I'll get to it when I get to it.
Yes I have felt this pressure. But it's more that I'm not a proper booktuber because I'm not reading as much so I don't have anything to review or I don't haul every month etc. And sometimes I just don't want to read, like you said it's ok to have other hobbies. I'm just really happy you said it cause I wasn't sure if I was the only one feeling that way
Beautiful video! 💚 Sometimes I don't feel like a "proper" reader because I read so slow and I haven't read a book in months (I'm not sure why; I think it might be because life keeps getting in the way, I'm stressed, or I might be in one long infinite reading slump idk) but this video made me feel so much better about my reading schedule and reading pace. I now understand that it's not about how much I read, but the fact that I like reading in general and that I find the time to do it when I can, despite the many distracting challenges that life throws my way, that ultimately makes me a reader. Thanks Ariel :)
I love and appreciate this video. It's so true. There's no minimum requirement to being a reader. Sometimes I catch myself comparing my reading habits to others. I see people who've read over 50 books this year, while I've just finished my 20th. It's so silly, because it doesn't matter. What matters is that we love reading and choose to do it because we love it, not because we feel like we have to.
Your realness is what makes you my favorite booktuber.
Roa'a A
Roa'a A bro same. I'm so glad I recently rediscovered and subscribed to you, Ariel. also this might be weird but if you want to check out another cool Ariel on UA-cam, her name is Ariel McCleary and she makes music
Being a reader means exactly that. You enjoy reading. It's not about the number of books you read. It's about enjoying the book(s) that you have read.
CastleFlameGal preach!
and it's neither about the number of books you buy. Some people seem to confuse that from time to time ... great comment :)
Exactly!
I'm a one book at a time reader and i feel so much pressure when i see people on booktube reading like 5 book at the same time
I'm the same. I can't read loads of books at the same time. I like to be fully committed to just one book and then when that book is finished I move onto the next one.
Well, I read 7 at a time. However, it is crazy to see all that a fitness trainer can do compared to me. We just can't and shouldn't compare ourselves to others.
I honestly don't see the appeal of reading more than one book at a time? I mean I understand if you're reading one for school and one on your own time or something like that, but otherwise I just don't get it.
If I read more than one book, unless the second one is an audiobook, at the same time it's almost always going to put me in some sort of reading slump, because it stresses me out so much so I just shut down and don't read for a while instead. I find it so much more relaxing to just focus on one book at the time.
Good on you! Keep doing one at a time. Somehow I keep ending up reading 3 or more at a time. Usually when I'm already stressed out. And then it stresses me out even more. It's awful. I don't even know how it happens.
I've read nearly 50 books this year and whenever I talk about it I feel the need to add that half of them have been graphic novels, as though otherwise I would be tricking people into thinking I'm a better reader than I actually am.
Emily That's what I'm talking about! They totally count!
Ariel Bissett I also feel guilty adding graphic novels to my Goodreads or books read count. Like does this count even though I read it in 3 hours and it had pictures?
silverlady1692 i feel so guilty because ive only read 31 books this year and people on UA-cam are getting close to 100
AlliesBeautyTips I know how you feel I'm not going to make or exceed my number from last year and it bugs me but I'm trying to let it go. Most of the booktubers I watch do 4-8 books a month but I've seen some do like 12 😳 and all I can think is well I need to step it up maybe I'll stop sleeping lol. But I agree completely with Ariel if you love reading that's what matters. Congrats on your 31 books I hope they've all been fantastic!
silverlady1692 thank you, that is very sweet of you!! about half of them have been pretty darn good :)
100% agree. I absolutely LOVE reading, but I have times where I don't even read 1 book. I also have times where I read 5 books in a month. It doesn't matter. It really doesn't. Just because I don't finish a book every month, doesn't mean I don't love reading.
While I generally love your videos, the quality of your last few videos has been insane. Keep it up! :)
this sums up exactly what I wanted to comment :) thanks for that! I love these kinds of videos probably more than any other book related ones :)
Yes! She always manages to find such interesting topics in around booktube culture
I thought this comment was heading somewhere else. Glad it didn't!
I used to read 100+ books a year but then in February last year I discovered Korean dramas and movies and kpop and they became a huuuge part of my daily life. This year I'm currently on my 50th book and we'll se how it goes. I'm reading significantly less then before and I had some problems with guilt but now... I feel like I don't care anymore. I read when I feel like it, I watch Korean stuff when I feel like it.
50 books are fine. it is a good number. an excellent number.
Yes! Sometimes I go through lots of books at once, but then sometimes there are suddenly so many good Kdramas on at one time and then my favourite Kpop group has a comeback (BTS!) I have to do other things. My problem I think I have is that I'm interested in so many different things and hobbies that I get overwhelmed by them all and end up not doing half of them because there's no time. :(
Also, have you watched the recently released Moonlight Drawn by Clouds? It's so good!
50 books is still impressive haha. I've read about 14 this year.
STORY OF MY LIFE
I haven't finished a book since the 2nd of August....... Thank you so much for this video, Ariel!
India
My goal on Goodreads this year started out as 75, then went down to 50, and now it's 45. Last year I read more than 50, so I wanted to increase that goal, but I'm also a college student and I work. As much as I love reading (I'm a library science major for crying out loud), school is more important to me than how many books I read (also I love kdramas and anime and those take up a lot of time). I'm really glad you made this video because I feel like it took some of the pressure off
Sorry you have experienced this pressure. I love being a slow reader, I love having the TIME to allow the stories I choose to consume to settle and float around my head. To think about the books I choose to read rather than gobble them up only to get to next.
This video couldn't have come in a better time. I'm in a difficult stage of my life right now and i feel like when it comes to escape from reality, from this kind of situations i should read. Because that's what i have always done to set my mind off things, because as a reader that's what i should be looking forward to do right? But instead i find myself watching Good Mythical Morning or looking for a movie in Netflix and feeling guilty while doing so. Why am i not reading? What happened to that urge to travel to different worlds without actually moving? And that's when this video came along and i'm so grateful that you made me see that it's okay. That it doesn't make me less of a reader and i shouldn't feel presured or guilty. Just thank you so much for making me feel understood and better about myself :)
I 100% agree and it's been something I've been thinking about a lot lately. Since creating my booktube channel I've put so much pressure on myself to read all the books NOW. And lately I've been asking myself... "Why?" It's so important to never loose what honestly makes you a reader... the love of reading.
Thank you for saying this because I feel like a massive weight has been lifted from my chest. I've felt so guilty for how little I've read the past two years because life and other interests have begun to have similar importance. I will always love books with all of my heart, but it's so nice to remember that reading is for enjoyment first and foremost and there should never be any stress surrounding it. I love that I can still call myself a bookworm simply because I love books, without having to feel like less of a reader because there are only so many hours in the day. As always, you're brilliant and I'm so thankful for your thoughts, Ariel
YAS GIRL YAAASSSSS.
Love. This. NO SHAME! I struggle with this often. Our identities are more than "reader." And even though part of our identities = reader, that part of our identity doesn't change month to month depending on a number. x
Thank you for posting this. I read slower than the average person (if it takes most people one minute to read a page, it takes me three), and sometimes it takes me a month to read one book for whatever reason. And then I see all these weekly wrap ups people do where they finish 12 books in one week. I actually joined this challenge to read 75 books this year. I'm almost there but I look back on the year, and I see that I missed out on doing other things because I have felt such a pressure to be a "real" reader. Needless to say, my goal for 2017 is to read less. I still love books!
I've been following your videos for quite a while....many have touched me & I wish I had commented before. This one was the one I really had to comment on because it was so freeing for me. I've been an avid reader since I was a child. When I was younger I could read up to 20 books a month. However, as I got older my reading habits changed...I starting narrowing my reading genres, sticking with fav authors & series, and had to deal with "becoming an adult" (getting a job, dealing with kids, bills, etc). Now, I may only get the chance to read 1-3 books a month. Some on Good Reads & Book Tube may scoff at such a small number of reads....but even so, I still consider myself an avid reader. I feel no shame in not reading as much as another reader, esp since I realize that any time I have available to read nowadays is precious. For half an hour on that day, I was able to escape my reality & enjoy another world (be it a sci-if/fantasy, romance or even a murder mystery). I think this is the main reason I stopped using Good Reads & other book tracking sites - I wanted to enjoy my reading on my own terms. I still use these sites for recommendations, but I've stopped posting myself...because I AM a proper reader in my eyes. I'm sure some may hate my comment, but your video touched on a number of my hidden fears. Thank you for freeing me!!!
I'm in my freshman year at college and I've been so INCREDIBLY stressed out because i haven't been reading as much as when I was in high school - before I'd read 8-10 books a month during the school year and 15-20 books a month during the summer! But since college started, I just simply havent had the time. And honestly, it's made me so stressed out that I 100% have been just skimming books and saying I've read them just so I CAN say I read 7 or 8 books this month and that's SO WRONG. And I realize how awful this is but I still definitely feel that pressure that you're talking about (which makes me continue to do that) and it sucks. We all need to learn something from this video:)
Yes! The pressure! Even outside of booktube, as someone who has studied English lit, and now creative writing, there are expectations to have read so many books - I never read Catcher in the Rye, or Ulysses, or A Midsummer Night's Dream - but it's just kind of expected. I can't read everything (much as I would like to). But yes! I am a reader - and I feel that pressure too :)
TellerofTales I totally feel this! I don't get when my professors expected me to have read every classic that was ever written...
I study audiovisual design and my teachers expect me to have seen every movie ever. So I feel the pressure both for not reading enough and for not watching enough "classic" movies. It's a lot to handle
your video's lately are so real and i love it ❤️
Oh man, thanks for keeping it real. Reading is my everything...but so is writing, and crocheting, and knitting, and my pets, creating art, and so many things! The pressure is totally bizarre abd crazy. Readers are multi-dimensional because we are also human. Love this so much!
This video is so on point about book reading (or maybe hobby). There shouldn't be any pressure at all while having hobbies. It's at our own comfort and leisure while we enjoying our own hobbies, well for instance, reading. I've been enjoying your videos even more after well... let's not mention it. Keep it up Ariel, your content is really really great for discussion.
i can totally feel that pressure. i think it started when i began to share online about my readings and now the pressure's higher with booktube. someone who's following me told me yesterday "that's great you take time to answer, i thought you would ne reading" ... i'm not ALWAYS reading. kinda have a job and friends and hobbies too ! thanks for that video !
Amen to this!! I feel so much pressure to read all the time, and I feel guilty when I do other stuff instead of reading, but then that puts me in a slump! I'll stick to my love of reading at a slow and steady pace :)
I love your discussions so much ariel! I read over 100 books last year, but at this point in the year I've real 'only' 65. I use quotations because although it's so much less than last year it's still a huge amount of books, so many of which I love. I was originally stressed about the number but recently I've relaxed heaps and come to appreciate what I have read, instead of caring so much just about a number on a screen that people will see
This spoke to me! Yes, I often also feel a weird pressure to be "more" of reader, when really, like you said, caring about reading and finding joy in reading is what makes me a reader, not how often I engage in it.
you're so right about it Ariel! loved this video! ❤ Reading should never feel like a competition or a responsability, it's about having fun and loving the worlds we visit and meet new characters we will surely fall in love with later on. It's terrible to feel pressure over something that should be enjoyable.
Brilliant. There are too many pressures in life for reading to become one too. I think, just stay true to why/how you read and that will shine through - reading is such a deeply personal thing anyway. x
I don't read as much as I used to read. When I was younger, I could breeze through 50-75 books a year. Now, with three kids and a job, I'm lucky to read a book a month. Ariel, I love this video! Also, do more spoken poems. I loved your most recent one (Thigh Gaps and other things...?)!! 💙
I relate to this on a spiritual level, thank you so much.
Again you're delivering a video right when I need it! This will probably be the first year I don't reach my goodreads goal (which I already lower once). But so much has gone on in my life this reach I shouldn't care that I'm only reading a book and half a month!
Hannah Oudenaar FREEDOM TO THE PEOPLE!!!
I agree wholeheartedly. As a new booktuber, I look at other booktubers and I feel like there's this unspoken pressure to read a bunch of books a month or to read certain kinds of books and I have to constantly remind myself that it isn't about reading to please other people. It's about reading to please myself. If I read lots of books then awesome but if not, that's totally fine as well. Really enjoyed this video.
Nezzle Love this comment! It really is so personal!
Thanks :) Guess your honesty sparked my own lol. Looking forward to more great videos from you
So happy to see you humanized in terms of your reading.
When I was blogging regularly 5 years ago, I felt exactly this and I think part of the reason that I put it aside was because it started to steal my joy of reading because I felt like I HAD to be reading all the time, like it was tied exclusively to the number of books I read in a year and the amount of posts I put up regarding what I was reading. I appreciate your honesty in this!
Totally agree with this Ariel. Recently I've struggled with reading a lot slower than usual, and feeling like I don't have as much to talk about on my channel - but I'm slowly getting used to taking my time!
I feel this so much!! I really wish that I could read more, but sometimes life just gets in the way especially during school. This is the first week in over month where I haven't had a test or a project due. And as much as I enjoy reading, school really stressing me out and when I get home at the end of the day I just want to relax and watch TV because watching TV is so much easier to do when I'm exhausted than reading.
It's more than a booktube thing, too! I felt this ridiculous pressure whilst studying my undergrad when I would sit in seminars or meetings with tutors and they would just throw a bunch of names at me expecting me to have read/be familiar with most if not all of them! It made me feel so out of place and I began questioning if I'd made the right decision in studying literature at all. This video has been such a reassurance, as I didn't dare raise the point with any of my peers in fears of revealing myself as a "fraud". Thank you so very much!
I love these "thought process" videos on reading! They are excellent! So fun to watch because I can always relate!😃
Wander LostSouls thanks! Glad you're taking something from them!!
This is something i needed to hear. This year i've been really busy with school and i also became obsessed with kpop, so i didn't read as much as i wanted. At first i felt really guilty but if i start to think about it, my love for reading is still there, so i shouldn't worry.
Great video ariel!! (as always). Greetings from argentina💞
Thank you. I just realized that the main reason I never considered making a bootube account was because I felt like I didn't read enough and would not have enough to talk about. You've shown me it's not necessarily about the tags and hauls, it's about the important discussions and topics related to reading. Your videos are so important, so thank you!
I soooo needed to hear this. Reading pressure dragged me into a horrible reading slump last year where for a few months I didn't read anything at all. It was sad, and disappointing, and weirdly enough induced a lot of guilt in me because I wasn't living up to my 'reader' identity.
I loved this video! When I first started watching booktube, I was a little shocked to see the crazy numbers of books that some booktubers read in a month. It definitely made me think about my own reading for a second and wonder if I was reading enough to be, like you said, a "proper reader". But I truly think that all that really matters is that you read what you want to, how much you want to, and that you enjoy what you manage to read!
I feel like you're speaking how I've been feeling for the past few months. Sometimes I've felt invalid because I don't read 5-10 books a month, resulting in me hardly talking about my "current reads" or "tbr". Thank you for sharing this
This is a great message to all. Sitting down and reading is all that really counts. I am a mother of 5 and a grandmother of 9, but who is counting, and I give books for every occasion. My one fast rule is that I have already read the book. That means that in addition to the books I want to read, I read one heck of a lot of picture books and children's books. But, who is counting, or even caring what we read. Real book lovers love people to read - period. Thanks for the reminder. Always enjoy hearing what you have say!
I'M LOVING THESE VIDEOS! I haven't been able to read for the longest time (2 months) because of school. This makes me feel better
I feel this so much, especially right now! I haven't read a single book in two months because I just wasn't feeling it. I have this problem that when I start a hobby I find it difficult to keep up with other hobbies. So when I really got into reading I stopped watching tv shows and movies, now that I started writing I stopped reading. It was hard at first but I'm now at the point where I feel like I need to stop feeling guilty about it and just accept it. I know that I will return to reading soon enough and I already finished my goodreads goal so there's actually no pressure to pick up a book right now.
These past two videos have spoken to me so much and made me really emotional. I stress so much about not reading enough and if that means I am not a reader...I struggle with this thought that I am a "fake reader" or "poser" because I sometimes can't even finish one book a month. I own all these books and check out all these books from the library but I don't read half of them. I still love reading though and I still read everytime I get a chance and I am constantly thinking about books. So I understand your struggle and you sharing it makes me realize it is ok and I am not alone or a fake.
Thank you for this. Mental health issues have sapped my love of reading from me, especially over the past few years. I've read like 9 books this year and those were hard-fought; I had to force myself to read because I had no motivation or focus. I feel like I can't even call myself a reader now, but this video speaks to me and eases me. Thank you, Ariel (:
Just found your site and thank you for voicing what so many of us feel. I consider myself a reader, but I don't read as often as I would like with my job, studying and family life. I will still set myself a yearly number but only as a guide.
I literally love you so much, I admire your unique perspective on something we all love and how it is okay to live as a reader the way you want to live as a reader. I hope to meet you someday and have a lovely chat! :)
i couldn't agree more!! i never agreed so much with a video!!! only as reader and not booktuber i feel that preasure about reading, so i can imagine how you feel. when i hear someone saying 'loved this book, read it in a day' i feel that is an impossible scenario for me just because i'm incapable of focusing so much time in row on text although i love reading with all my heart and soul.
I love this! I was thinking about this today in that as I consider myself a reader I must always read to the point that it becomes a chore...I love running and I would listen to audiobooks to run to instead of music and put myself into a terrible slump. Never again. I'll read only wen I want to and what I want to and that's good enough for me.
I love this so much. Lately I have been beating myself up about not reading as much. I found myself joking and referring to myself as not being a "good reader". Thank you so much for putting up this very relatable video
Thank you Ariel! I've read over 100 books last year and was feeling so bad that I've just gone over 20 this year and you're making me feel so much better about it
Julia França ❤️❤️❤️
Thanks for putting this out there. I only read 1-2 books a month typically. I agree, as long as you are getting something out of your reading material, whether it be for pleasure or academia, than quantity does not matter!
I think as long as you enjoy reading, and do it whenever you feel like doing it, you are a "proper" reader. As simple as that. I understand the pressure someone could feel, tho.
Love all your videos :)
I love this video!! I totally feel this pressure sometimes but I try to remind my self, as you said in the videi, that it doesn't really matter and that I shouldn't be comparing myself with others. The important thing is that we are reading (no matter if it is a novel, short story, graphic novel, poetry, etc) and that we enjoy it.
I'm so happy you made this video! There are so many books that I forced myself to read because of Booktube. I also am a fan of the literary fiction genre and I really don't see a lot of that on here. So, watching this made me realize one thing. I'm reading for myself and no one else!
I am an incredibly fast reader, I can read something like 1500 words a minute. In 2014 I read over 450 books. In 2015 I read at least 300. This year? 50. Maybe. I haven't suddenly started reading at a much slower rate. I just didn't feel interested anymore, the depression I'd been struggling with for years finally caught up with me. There's this nagging guilt that I should be reading more. Up until this year, reading was my only hobby. I was a Reader, I was a Gifted Child, that was my entire identity. This year I've created an identity for myself outside of reading and I finally feel able to read again and not worry about how much or how little I'm doing. And you know what? I've read three books this week, more than I have in a long time.
Thank you for sharing, I think this resonates with a lot of us. I love reading as well and a lot of my friends know this and there is always this expectation of having read a new book when I speak to them again even though I've been pursuing other hobbies.
I love this video. Thank you so much for making it! I feel the same pressure to read a certain amount of books to make people satisfied, when I'm not actually enjoying most of the books I read. I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels this way. Thank you for your lovely video❤️️📚
I agree with everything!!! The other thing that pressures me is taking "reading breaks" where I just am not in the mood to read at all for weeks and I feel guilty, but I know I'll eventually come back to it so no need for the guilt
I'm not even a public reader and I find myself feeling the pressure of not reading enough as a reader. It's nice to hear this Ariel and I hope that now you have gotten this off your chest you feel more comfortable! Read what you want when you want !!!
This. So much this. I cannot praise this video enough. YAASSSSS.
I used to read every night and read about 80 books a year because I had so much free time in the first four years of high school, now i'm a senior and I have to focus on studying and deal with the stress that comes with it and I replaced reading with watching movies and shows every night which I really love and I just started going to the gym after school which leaves me only reading a chapter or two a day! This year I only read 12 books :( and instead of writing in my free time, theres no space for it so I find myself making a habit of jotting down small notes and ideas for doing it in the future instead of actually doing it.... this is how you can tell that your childhood is over when you don't have all that free time anymore, i felt like because i don't prioritize it I'm not a reader, but i am!
I feel like I'm a reader because I do enjoy the time I spend reading and consider it as a hobby. I can either read book after book for a whole month or just completely stop for months (mainly because of school), and I loved that you mentioned how we as readers feel the constant pressure to read as many books as we can, and question if we can still consider and call ourselves avid readers.
I just came across your channel and this was the first video of yours that I watched, and may I say, you are now my new favorite person! I agreed with everything you said, and it was fantastic!
Yes! Everyone knows I love to read and sometimes if I bring the same book to school for a week or two in a row people will comment on how it's taking me longer to read it than usual. But it really doesn't matter as long as I'm enjoying it when I do read.
God. This speaks to me on a spiritual level. I’m not kidding.
So I’ve always liked books and the idea of it, but actually reading was difficult for me due to lots of stuff, one being concentration. I’m an adult now and I’ve been trying to pick up the slack and read as many books as I could so that if I said “I’m a reader” I could have proof to back that up. Hell right now I’m flying through audiobooks to “catch up” on all the years I never read. (On a side note, I found that i tend to like audiobooks more than physically reading. Helps me pay attention better. Lol it’s like I’m a kid again being read to XD)
So thank you Ariel. I know you probably won’t read this since it’s an older video. But I appreciate content like this so very much.
That's a really great and honest video! Sometimes I feel this pressure too, when I see that I read just one or two books a month. I always try to remind myself that I shouldn't take reading as a duty but as something I love doing :D
Ariel the reason why I like your channel it's because you're genuine. There's no monthly wrap-up and you're not the "ugh! I only read 7 books this month..." type of person . Being a reader can be stressful. And I feel booktube should be more about sharing that love for books not about competing to see who reads more... I am definetely a reader °u°
Love love love the amount of videos you've been making recently, love hearing your thoughts
Well the good thing is that all this pressure is self-imposed :) You already have it figured out - when you said "no one cares" - it's so true! No one is keeping score! It is easy to get caught up though. I'm glad I came to book blogging later in life, there was never any possibility of me reading 100+ per year. That ship has sailed!
The pressure is not always bad. I have certainly read more books after joining goodreads than I used to read before! And some of those extra book reading was possible because of the yearly goal tool of GR and by seeing how other people were reading so much. But I never allowed the pressure to do damage in my pleasure of reading. I am reading more but also making sure that I read as much as I enjoy, not a single book beyond that.
This is so true. I went a few months earlier this year barely reading anything. And I started doing booktube videos during that time! I was making videos about books and reading while I wasn't even reading. But I'm a reader.
I love this so much. I absolutely adore that I discovered Booktube. It has skyrocketed my already huge love for reading. It has introduced me to SO many amazing books I might have never discovered on my own. But I have felt this pressure this year. If I don't read 10 books a month I feel bad. If I spend a day binge watching Netflix I feel guilty and feel like I have to make it up. Thank you for this video (and the tracking our reading video.) Keep it up! It's honestly helping pull me back down to reality.
YES! thank you so much for this video. sometimes i feel like the only person who feels pressured to read like 10 books a month when with my natural speed ( = read when i feel like reading and as many or few pages i feel like reading at that time) i'll usually finish maybe one book every few months. doesn't make me love books any less.
THIS VIDEO. YES. As soon as I started watching booktube I started reading a lot more. I am a slow reader, however, and also have other hobbies. So, I never read nearly as many books as a lot of booktubers (I read an average of 20 books a year) and it really bummed me out. I also felt like I could never become a booktuber because I don't read enough. Loved this video and I agree with you so much!!!
I really feel like I've benefited from the affirmation this video offers. It's one of the first videos of yours I have watched, and I'm now certain that I will subscribe and truly enjoy your content.
Hi Ariel! I completely agree with you on this topic... I love to read, but I often feel like I'm not a real and passionate reader because I don't read as many books as others do, or because I can't afford buying 10 books every month, and I think it's so strange because reading should be a pleasure and not something full of pressure! Totally feel your pain :)
This freed me.
I've written blog posts in the past where I've been like 'I only read one book this month, I'll do better next month' but I see it now as... better compared to what? There is no scale that I need to compare one month's reading against another's! You're so right, as always!
Ariel, I totally get where you're coming from! All throughout middle school and high school I've been an avid reader. But ever since my senior year, I haven't really been 'reading'. I've read about 15 books so far this year, and I don't consider myself 'a reader' anymore. But since you've brought this up, I realize now that I still am- I just have other hobbies and priorities right now (especially since I'm in Uni rn).
Actually, I've started reading fan-fiction way more than I read novels, and honestly, I consider those works just as valid as published novels. I even read a fic that was 490,000+ words and it is honestly the best piece of work that I've ever read. So just because what I read is not a novel, does not discount the validity of me being a reader...
Thank you for making me realize that!
p.s. while I was re-reading "To All The Boys I've Loved Before", I was thinking, 'wow, this feels like I'm reading a fanfic...'
Yes! I really like this video and I relate to this so much. I am in highschool (in 10th grade) and I've felt so ashamed because I haven't been reading as much as I did in earlier years. HS has been emotionally challenging and stressful and I don't feel as motivated to read (for fun. My school requires us to read a lot which I enjoy but I still don't do it as much outside of school). Thank you for saying this.
Thank you so much for this video! I agree so so so much with this. Reading is supposed to be relaxing, not a chore.
Ive always felt this pressure because even though I've always felt I was a reader I don't really read that much.
I only knew I was a reader because when I was little, learning to read was really fun and quite easy, and I was also obsessed with reading every sign and poster I saw. But I read very few books.
When I went to university I read a bunch instead of actually studying and paying attention in class. And then when I dropped out and got really depressed, I would read over 100 books a year.
Then I went back to university and barely read anything outside of required readings. Just got my bachelor's and about to start on my masters, all in writing. But am barely pushing out a book every couple of months.
Love these discussions, I always feel like you read my mind XD
I always feel guilty about the amount of books I read because I'm a writer and it's sort of a requirement, but this video made me feel a tad better. My passion for writing came from reading, and I used to read about 5 books a week, but now my writing requires more of my attention than other people's - and understandably because I'm nowhere close to where those authors are.
I will still try to read more, of course, but I won't stress it on myself as much.
Thank you so much for the video, Ariel! :)
I am totally with you. I have many days where I would rather sit at my computer and watch people talk about books than actually read one. I constantly feel guilty for the books that I buy because they are gorgeous and I want them on my shelf but I know I wont get to for probably months. Sometimes I feel more like a booktube watcher and a book collector more than I feel like a reader. Yes, I am those things, and I think that is ok, but at the end of the day when I'm in the mood to read and I sit down and read a book and love it so much that I can't put it down, I am also a reader. I think you are right that those other hobbies and interests don't negate the fact that I am a reader, all be it a reader who has other hobbies as well, but a reader all the same. Thank you for reminding me of that.
I agree!! I love that you tackled this topic!
Exactly, I just read whenever I feel like it, not because I'm pressured (although I can definitely understand the pressure that "public readers" are under). A reader reads because they love reading, and that is that.
Ive been loving the past few videos you've been posting so unique!!
okay I'm not a person who has a book youtube channel or blog about my reads HOWEVER I know people who are bookworms who always read "elite lit" so basically they don't read YA or a genre to that standard without mocking it. and I always see posts of their mocking some books people recommended or whatever you get the idea right ? and it adds so much pressure. it's like the top reason why I don't like documenting my reads online, but goodreads is so nice ! but like you, i've come to the conclusion that I started reading in the first place for leisure ! so whatever we read (or not read) in whatever amount is fine
I'm an English teacher so I get this. There's always an expectation for 'professional readers " to be epic at reading...but I was a remedial reader coming up and to this day, I read very slowly. I'm an audiobook reader more than I'm a physical book reader, but...I still read and love reading!
Thank you for this reassurance! I also truly believe that if you want to think of yourself as a reader and you only read one book a month, you still are!
I feel this way all the time. I've started college and I don't have all the time I had to read as before. I also feel so much pressure from how many books I own and I haven't read. I just have to keep telling myself I'll get to it when I get to it.
i love that you're making these videos. i really identify with them and relate and thanks for sparking discussion about this :)
Yes I have felt this pressure. But it's more that I'm not a proper booktuber because I'm not reading as much so I don't have anything to review or I don't haul every month etc. And sometimes I just don't want to read, like you said it's ok to have other hobbies. I'm just really happy you said it cause I wasn't sure if I was the only one feeling that way
Beautiful video! 💚
Sometimes I don't feel like a "proper" reader because I read so slow and I haven't read a book in months (I'm not sure why; I think it might be because life keeps getting in the way, I'm stressed, or I might be in one long infinite reading slump idk) but this video made me feel so much better about my reading schedule and reading pace. I now understand that it's not about how much I read, but the fact that I like reading in general and that I find the time to do it when I can, despite the many distracting challenges that life throws my way, that ultimately makes me a reader.
Thanks Ariel :)
I love and appreciate this video. It's so true. There's no minimum requirement to being a reader. Sometimes I catch myself comparing my reading habits to others. I see people who've read over 50 books this year, while I've just finished my 20th. It's so silly, because it doesn't matter. What matters is that we love reading and choose to do it because we love it, not because we feel like we have to.
This is my exact sentiment. I may not be reading so much (bc college and life) but every book I've read I deeply enjoyed.