{"id":9136,"date":"2025-12-02T00:03:53","date_gmt":"2025-12-02T06:03:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lfs.org\/blog\/?p=9136"},"modified":"2025-11-16T21:55:44","modified_gmt":"2025-11-17T03:55:44","slug":"thoughts-and-tips-on-improving-reading-habits-as-prometheus-voters-rush-to-finish-the-finalists","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lfs.org\/blog\/thoughts-and-tips-on-improving-reading-habits-as-prometheus-voters-rush-to-finish-the-finalists\/","title":{"rendered":"Thoughts and tips on improving our reading habits – as this cycle of Prometheus nominations moves into higher gear"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Michael Grossberg<\/a><\/p>\n

Reading is a key pleasure in life – and a great way to expand one’s understanding and appreciation of the world around us. Reading a wide variety of fantastical fiction, including but not limited to science fiction and fantasy, is also crucial to judging and voting in literary awards – including the Prometheus Awards.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

With the previous awards cycle now completed and this year’s Prometheus Award winners announced, Libertarian Futurist Society members have begun the next cycle of reading and considering potential 2025 candidates for nomination for next year’s award. So this is a good time to share a variety of helpful insights into reading – and reading better.<\/p>\n

Substack columnist Tomer Rozenberg offers a wide variety of tips in his recent column on \u201cWhy We Put Books Down and How to Pick Them Back Up” – tips worth considering not only for this year’s Prometheus-related reading but also for future years.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs someone who has poured their heart and soul into writing\u2014which is quite a sensitive point for me as a book author\u2014I’ve found myself wondering: why do people stop reading books they’ve started? And more importantly, how can we rediscover the joy that comes from a truly engaging read?,\u201d Rozenberg poignantly asks.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

His perceptive and practical column – worth reading in its entirety – covers a wide set of factors in why people don\u2019t read, what traps we can avoid and what positive steps to take to rekindle our enjoyment in reading.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Among his many suggestions that I find most useful:<\/p>\n

* Reading, at its core, should be pleasurable.<\/b> \u201cRather than forcing yourself through books that don’t speak to you, take time to discover what genuinely captures your interest.\u201d<\/p>\n

* Start small:<\/b> \u201cEven 10-15 minutes daily is better than an occasional two-hour marathon.\u201d<\/p>\n

* Create reading triggers:<\/b> \u201cPair reading with established habits like morning coffee or evening tea.:<\/p>\n

* Remove friction<\/b>: \u201cKeep books visible and accessible in your home.\u201d<\/p>\n

* Mix formats: \u201c<\/b>Audiobooks, e-books, and print all offer different advantages\u2014find what works for your lifestyle\u201d<\/p>\n

* Experiment with genres: \u201c<\/b>If literary fiction leaves you cold, perhaps mystery, science fiction, or narrative non-fiction might ignite your passion.\u201d<\/p>\n

* Release the pressure: \u201c<\/b>Reading isn’t a competition or performance\u2014it’s a personal journey.\u201d<\/p>\n

In short, his column suggests that sustaining a healthy reading habit is something built on consistency, \u201cnot intensity\u201d – and that we should make reading as easy and fun as possible.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

HOW TO OVERCOME READING DISTRACTIONS
\n<\/b>
\nAmong the issues Rozenberg explores that factor into why people abandon some books: \u201cThe 50-Page Rule Debate\u201d (over when it\u2019s acceptable to give up on a book), the \u201cMismatch Problem\u201d (sparked in some cases by social-pressure reading, aspirational reading and recommendation blindspots), the Patience Deficit and the inevitable daily digital distractions of living in the 21st century.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet’s face it\u2014we’re living in an age of unprecedented digital distraction,\u201d he writes.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur phones ping with notifications, our streaming services auto-play the next episode, and our social media feeds refresh endlessly. Each of these moments offers a small dopamine hit that books, with their slower-burning satisfaction, struggle to compete with.\u201d<\/p>\n

One of his most important reminders, in my view, is that reading books requires patience (and I confess that\u2019s historically not been my strongest suit.)<\/p>\n

\u201cUnlike movies or TV shows that deliver regular emotional payoffs, books often build slowly, asking readers to invest significant time before revealing their full value. In an era of immediate gratification, this patience can feel like an increasingly tall order,\u201d Rozenberg said.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>WHY SOME GIVE UP ON TOLKIEN\u2019S TRILOGY<\/b><\/p>\n

Interestingly, in his discussion of \u201cThe 50-Page Rule Debate,\u201d over whether it\u2019s OK to move on if a book hasn\u2019t captivated you within 50 pages, Rozenberg mentions one of the seminal bestsellers in the realm of fantastic fiction: J.R.R. Tolkien\u2019s The Lord of the Rings,<\/i> a Prometheus Hall of Fame winner for Best Classic Fiction.<\/p>\n

\u201cBook abandonment rates actually reveal interesting patterns. According to data from Goodreads, classic novels like Catch-22 <\/i>and The Lord of the Rings<\/i> have high abandonment rates despite their canonical status, suggesting that perceived cultural importance doesn’t always translate to readability or personal enjoyment,\u201d Rozenberg said.<\/p>\n

TAKING THE TIME TO READ
\n<\/b>
\nSpeaking for myself, I know that I couldn\u2019t have sustained my interest in and support for the Prometheus Awards over the past 46 years without developing a lifelong habit of reading – and, crucially, enjoying it as a key part of my week or weekend.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>To his credit, Rozenberg deftly exposes the false excuse of \u201cI don\u2019t have time to read,\u201d perhaps the most common excuse people offer.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe issue isn’t necessarily a lack of time, but rather how we choose to allocate our limited attention,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

“When we do attempt to read, it’s often squeezed into the margins of our day\u2014those few minutes before sleep claims us, or brief moments between tasks. Reading becomes fragmented, making it difficult to maintain narrative momentum or conceptual understanding.\u201d<\/p>\n

As we strive to change and improve our reading habits, Rozenberg urges us to keep our progress – and our setbacks – in perspective.<\/p>\n

\u201cReading, like any meaningful relationship, has its ebbs and flows. There will be periods of intense connection and times of distance,\u201d he writes.<\/p>\n

“The goal isn’t perfection but persistence\u2014continuing to return to books even after we’ve drifted away.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

ABOUT THE LFS AND PROMETHEUS AWARDS<\/b><\/p>\n

*\u00a0Join us!<\/b> To help sustain the Prometheus Awards and support a cultural and literary strategy to appreciate and honor freedom-loving fiction, \u00a0join<\/a> the Libertarian Futurist Society, a non-profit all-volunteer association of freedom-loving sf\/fantasy fans.<\/p>\n

Libertarian futurists understand that culture matters. We believe that literature and the arts can be vital in envisioning a freer and better future.<\/p>\n

In some ways, culture can be even more influential and powerful than politics in the long run, by imagining better visions of the future incorporating peace, prosperity, progress, tolerance, justice, positive social change, and mutual respect for each other\u2019s rights, human dignity, individuality and peaceful choices.<\/p>\n

* Prometheus winners:\u00a0<\/b>For a full list of Prometheus winners, finalists and nominees \u2013 including in the annual Best Novel and Best Classic Fiction (Hall of Fame) categories and occasional Special Awards \u2013 visit the enhanced\u00a0Prometheus Awards page<\/a>\u00a0on the LFS website. This page includes convenient links to all published essay-reviews in our Appreciation series explaining why each of more than 100 past winners since 1979 fits the awards\u2019 distinctive dual focus on both quality and liberty.<\/p>\n

*\u00a0Watch videos of past Prometheus Awards ceremonies, Libertarian Futurist Society panel discussions with noted sf authors and leading libertarian writers, and other LFS programs on the Prometheus Blog\u2019s\u00a0Video page.<\/a><\/p>\n

* Read \u201cThe Libertarian History of Science Fiction,\u201d<\/a> an essay in the international magazine\u00a0Quillette<\/i>\u00a0that favorably highlights the Prometheus Awards, the Libertarian Futurist Society and the significant element of libertarian sf\/fantasy in the evolution of the modern genre.<\/p>\n

* Check out the Libertarian Futurist Society\u2019s Facebook page<\/a> for comments, updates and links to the latest Prometheus Blog posts.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Michael Grossberg Reading is a key pleasure in life – and a great way to expand one’s understanding and appreciation of the world around us. Reading a wide variety of fantastical fiction, including but not limited to science fiction and fantasy, is also crucial to judging and voting in literary awards – including the … Continue reading Thoughts and tips on improving our reading habits – as this cycle of Prometheus nominations moves into higher gear<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[9,1863,2628],"tags":[2629,592,825,1350],"class_list":["post-9136","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-essay","category-j-r-r-tolkien","category-reading-tips","tag-habits","tag-reading","tag-the-lord-of-the-rings","tag-tolkien"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pe8nGl-2nm","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lfs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9136","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lfs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lfs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lfs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lfs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9136"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/www.lfs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9136\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9985,"href":"https:\/\/www.lfs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9136\/revisions\/9985"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lfs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9136"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lfs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9136"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lfs.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9136"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}