No matter the age, having reading options is one key component in keeping reading fresh and alive in the reader’s mind. Because human beings are very unique in the ways in which we effectively and efficiently absorb information, it would make sense that readers should be given opportunities to read that information in the way in which it most suits his or her optimal learning experience. (Or, at least change things up from time to time to add a little reading spiciness to life.)

And don’t get me wrong, here. Not all reading is done with the deliberate goal of receiving information that can be used to add to one’s knowledge base or skills development. Nevertheless, ALL reading (whether for academia purposes or for fun-loving entertainment purposes) will provide a learning opportunity no matter what. You can count on that.

As a matter of fact, let’s list some ways you can learn with reading, regardless of the genre of reading material or its intended function in your life.

• You can learn what topics excite you and which ones bring about sheer boredom.
• You can learn how long you can last in reading sessions before you begin to mentally wander off.
• You can learn to make connections with others through reading about human experiences (both real and imaginary).
• You can learn to develop your verbal communication skills.
• You can learn to develop broader vocabulary usage in your everyday conversation.
• You can learn to develop your imagination and creative tendencies.
• You can learn to be a more enriched storyteller.
• You can learn to be a stronger writer through developing your reading skills.
• You can learn which reading method(s) allow you to retain and comprehend what you just read. (I mean reading methods such as reading silently, reading aloud, reading with a partner, etc.)
• You can learn which reading package allows you to retain and comprehend what you just read. (I mean reading package as in what format the reading material is delivered to you and how you’re able to consume it, such as in physical/print form, electronic form, and audio form.)

Now, these are just some of the learning benefits that reading can bring into one’s life — just by providing reading opportunities. But, I want to actually hone in on the last bullet point because it’s geared toward the discussion point I brought out in the very beginning of this blog post:

“Having reading options is one key component in keeping reading fresh and alive in the reader’s mind.”

And while one reading option may dominate over the others in a reader’s mind, it’s always good to have options. (Remember: the options are what keeps reading from becoming stagnant for the reader.) Reading in physical versus electronic versus audio doesn’t have to be the order of the day. There’s no ABSOLUTE, where only ONE way must ALWAYS work best in ALL cases.

In fact, all three reading packages have their pros and cons in a person’s reality, which I’m not going to take up your time in bringing out in this blog post. Reason being: the pros and cons are subjective and uniquely different between individuals. So, I’ll leave that discussion for someone else or another day. What I will tell you is that all three reading options (physical/print, electronic, and audio) have the opportunity to be utilized to best suit a person’s reading needs in the various scenarios that person faces on a daily basis.

Let me use myself as an example to solidify what I mean here. Not because I’m that important or anything, but because I have first-hand knowledge of me and can back up my point with my own reading experiences. And here we go . . .

I love to read physical/print books for information, inspiration, and entertainment — paperback and hardback alike. That’s my dominating preference in book reading material. I like holding them in my hands and having something tangible to keep and stash on my physical bookshelf when I’m all done consuming the words on their pages. I don’t know what it is but I get a sense of real accomplishment in finishing reading a book that’s physical in nature. But, that’s just me.

However, when I’m doing research on a topic, the last thing I want is a physical copy of a periodical, paper, or article. I just want to be able to get the information I need electronically from an online source that’s feeding me information I can easily digest from the Internet. And when I need to go back to the source from time to time, I don’t need a printed version for safekeeping (like the paperback or hardback book on my bookshelf). All I need to do is simply bookmark the online source (ebook, periodical, transcript, article) for future reference. And there you go. No additional bound or loose-leaf pages to add to my current paper collection in the house.

And when I’m in household chores mode or driving in my car, of course, I can’t have a physical copy of anything in my hand or an electronic version to read. I need freedom to move about and the ability to give some of my attention to another task simultaneously. So, I’m all about the audio content during those moments. And in most cases, I need to be listening to something while performing monotonous activities in order to help keep me motivated or awake.

Now, I have to admit. I haven’t quite latched onto the audiobook scene yet, but I’m gonna. Actually, listening to (not watching) YouTube videos while I’m cooking has become a regular norm for me these days. Probably because I can catch up with my favorite informative influencers without having to sit down and give them focused attention with time I don’t have. But, I’m really looking to branch off into listening to audio books very, very soon.

In a nutshell, having options allows me to do more of what I love:

READ!

Talk about a great way to incentivize someone to read and to read more. I so appreciate having different reading packages that allow me to absorb reading material in different ways. How about you?