Introduction to Reading

Pick up a book, any book.
Examine the cover, feel it.
Smell it if you must.
Flip through it's pages.
Read the opening line to
the first chapter of this novel,
Then stop!
Think about from that beginning line as to
what the story might be about.
Next, read on and stop once you reach
A character's name.
Make a character sheet.
Get to know the character beneath the words.
Read into their life,
Be a witness to their journey.
It'd be like walking through a dream.
Experiencing someone else's life
Through your eyes.
Pick your character up when they fall,
Show your sympathy when they cry,
Be glad when something good comes their way!
Don't be afraid to board the emotional rollar coaster.
See the character.
Be the character.
Once you finish,
Close the book and take a deep sigh.
You now understand what life is like
Being that character.

Reviews

[Damien Marty]

The only thing I would change is the final line, instead of "Being that character" I would have opted with "Being a character". The message is well-delivered regardless, however, and it's truly a shame that you can't actually do this process with a lot of "characters" being written nowadays.

[I Am Svetlana]

Hey, you're right. The last line would work better the way you said, thank you so much!

[jacob erin-cilberto]

i love this...not only about understanding what a person is like...personality, the story of his or her life....but something else struck me here.

the idea of a poem written about something that may be extinct one of these days...A Book.

all this kindle stuff...and ebooks...

i want a book in my hand, want to turn the pages...

open and close it..

just hold it in my hands.

i am old fashioned.

[Buddhistboy73]

thanks for sharing this take on a profitable way to read a book....I read books all the time, but don't usually take this much care and attention to the work I'll be honest. A thought provoking write here....:)
and one to help us put on the "wow glasses" and experience the full moment of a story, and the writer's intentions...:)
BB

[Michael Thrower]

This is a beautiful way of thinking. I have never done that with a character, making a sheet and so forth. I've played games like Dungeons and Dragons whereas you have to make a character sheet, but I have never made one for a character I'm reading out of a book. This is a really cool idea and I'm going to try it out for the next book I read. I'm glad I read this, seriously; I'm thrilled to try this out.

[Laura Harrison]

This is exactly how I read!