Top 5 Bookish Habits I want to Change

Hi Blisses,

I’ve always wanted to post something about my bookish habits, so imagine how happy I am when I saw this week’s topic for Top 5 Tuesday – Top 5 Bookish Habits. But before we get deeper into my bookish habits, let me give credit where it’s due. This meme is hosted by Shanah @Bionic Book Worm. She’s the one who comes up with such wonderful topics every month so it’s easy for us, mere human beings, to post every Tuesday. Hehe.

Okay, now let’s get into what this post is about. As my title says, I want to change these bookish habits. These habits aren’t necessarily bad, but they still affect me in some ways that are not entirely good. To be honest, I kind of enjoy having these habits, but still I want to change them and I think by the end of this post, you’ll agree with me. So shall we begin?

SOURCE: my bookstagram, @lilikmarcus

1.) Reading one book in one sitting

Reading one book in one sitting seems a good habit. It’s even ideal that I’m a fast reader and that I can finish an entire book in 3-4 hours no matter how long it is. SO WHY DO I WANT TO CHANGE IT?

It’s totally irresponsible. I usually read at noon during lunch or at night on my bed before I sleep. If I pick up a book while having my lunch, I’d end up reading till almost sunset and that means, I spend the whole afternoon accomplishing nothing. Sure reading is not nothing but I have responsibilities more important than reading. And if I start reading on my bed, I end up not sleeping till dawn. I wish I can learn to read a book in chunks like other people do. I’ll be fine if I can learn to read a book in two sittings, like I can start a book at lunch and pick it up again at night. That would help me tons.

2.) Collecting Bookmarks but not using them

I know most of us collect bookmarks, especially those who bookstagram and it’s okay. This is definitely a good habit and I won’t change it ever, but I do want to change the way I use them, which is basically never. Treasuring them is okay too. Not wanting to crease them is okay too but I want to enjoy using them. I want to experience reading using nice and beautiful bookmarks but I’m too worried I might ruin my bookmarks. But I do deserve beautiful things too. The bookmarks in the photo is not even one-tenth of my bookmark collection and they’re the simplest among my collection. Like I said, it’s okay to treasure them but I realized, what’s the point of having them if I never experienced the joy of using them. You know what I mean?

3.) Checking/Buying secondhand books if a bookmark is tucked in them

I actually love this habit of mine. I love finding bookmarks in secondhand books. They’re definitely treasures and it’s so good to think that another booklover like myself owned it before. But the problem with me is that I intentionally find them. I would usually spend hours on secondhand bookstores just looking for books that have bookmarks and then I would end up buying them. And that is problem #2 with this habit. I would buy the book even though I don’t like them.

See? It’s not okay to buy books I will never ever read. It’s a waste of money and a waste of space in my bookshelves. Sure I can take the bookmark from the book I don’t like and then put them into the book that I am likely to read, but that’s embarrassing. The sales persons might see me. Hehe.

4.) Choosing my next read takes longer than reading them

• 

• 

• 

• 

SOURCE: My Phone. LOL!

I can’t even. Sorry for the quality of the photos above, they’re old ones but they definitely show a visual of how I choose my next read, with me having a TBR, but end up breaking the plan and laying on a pile of books contemplating what to read next. It really takes me a LONG time to decide my next read and if I only use the time on reading, I would’ve read two books already. Sometimes, I even end up not reading at all.

It would really help if I could spend lesser time choosing what to read next or much better, if I learn to stick on my TBR. It will save tons of time.

5.) I Reread a lot

I know, I know, this is not a bad habit at all but let me tell you about the “a lot” part because that’s what I want to change. My rereading habit is not healthy at all. 1.) Because I don’t give other books a chance when I have time and instead rereading my favorites 2.) over and over again. When I say over and over again, I mean reading a certain book for more than ten times. Sometimes twice a month and many times a year. I’m not even exaggerating. You have no idea how many times I’ve read Mariana Zapata and Lisa Kleypas’ books. And no, you won’t see on goodreads the exact times I’ve read them because I don’t list them anymore. I just pick up the book and read.

Still, this doesn’t seem like a big problem, right? Wrong. The main problem here is the reason why I tend to reread. The truth is I usually reread when I’m too scared to try a new book in the genre. That’s not okay. Even I know that. What kind of a writer I am if I’m too scared to try a new story just because I don’t want to be disappointed. I should be open-minded when it comes to stories. Right?

---

There you have it guys — the 5 bookish I want to change. I could’ve shared ten or more but I don’t want to make this post too long.

What do you think of these bookish habits of mine? Do you think I should really change them? Do you also have habits you want to change? Let’s chat.