10 Reader Stereotypes (Which one are you?)

ByJody Hedlund
34 Comments

Those of us who’ve been reading long enough (or hanging around readers) have likely run across one or more of these stereotypical readers. Whether in a book group, library meeting, or even among online reading communities, we brush shoulders with all sorts of readers!

1. Speed Reader:

This is the reader who posts that cheerful comment on Twitter about how she’s met her 1000 book reading goal for the year and who adds a dozen books to her “Read” shelf on Goodreads every other day.

2. Can’t-get-past-the-first-chapter Reader:

This reader rarely makes it past the first chapter of a book before moving on to the next book. She’s the channel surfer, always moving from one book to the next and back again.

3. Know-it-all Reader:

This reader is that one person in the group who always seems to know about every book ever written by every author in every genre. Every time you ask a question about a book or need suggestions, she is right there chiming in with a hundred recommendations.

4. Binge Reader:

This reader is an all or nothing kind of person, feast or famine. She reads voraciously for several months, gobbling up every book by her favorite authors, but then stops reading because she “can’t find anything else to read.”

5. Snobby Reader:

This is the scholarly reader who only values literary fiction or classics like Homer or Shakespeare or Jane Austen. She turns up her nose at those drivel mainstream novels, especially romance books which she considers to be simply garbage.

6. Dilly-dally Reader:

This is also known as the snail reader. She reads a sentence a day and takes two years to finish a book. Of course, she claims to love the book and thinks it’s the best book ever written, but somehow can’t find enough time to read it.

7. Ending-first Reader:

This reader loves to read the “spoiler alerts” in book reviews, wants to know right away what happens to the characters, and only gets a chapter or two into the book before turning to the last page and reading it.

8. Book-before-bedtime Reader:

This reader waits until she’s sitting in bed under the covers before cracking open her book. It’s her way of relaxing and getting sleepy. She says, “I’ll only read for thirty minutes” and then three hours later finally puts down her book.

9. Picky Reader:

This reader will only read books that have cover models with blonde hair and blue eyes or heroes who are cowboys. Or perhaps she’ll only read books set in medieval Spain during the Inquisition. She has her favorite type of book and won’t be swayed to try anything else.

10. Can’t-put-book down Reader:

This is the reader whose book is glued to her hand. When she’s not reading, she’s rushing through her chores and feeding her kids frozen pizza again so that she can return as quickly as possible to her book.

Which stereotypes best fit YOU? Can you think of any other reader stereotypes to add to my list?

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Award-winning author Jody Hedlund makes her home in central Michigan with her husband and five children. When she's not busy with her family, she loves to read and consume large amounts of chocolate and coffee.

34 Comments

  2. I’m number 10. I’m close to number 1 but I’m quiet about the number of books added to my “read” shelf.

  5. I’m usually an 8 or a 10. Recently, I finished writing my first novel. Now, I sometimes dissect rather than read. I learn about writing thru reading and chase after authors whose strengths are my challenges. I would add the category Writer Readers. 😀

  7. The Neat Reader – careful not to make a mark on the book. Wonct eat while reading. Won’t write in the book or open the book wide enough to damage the spine.

    Yep – guilty.

  8. Mostly #10 but for some reason, when I read e-books I’m also #1. Not sure why but seem to read faster on Kindle. I always have a book with me so I can read while waiting for someone, a doctor’s office, etc. I’m also the type of reader that my books look just like they did when I started the book. I read most genres. What can I say, I Love To Read. I have stayed up all night to finish a book.

  9. I’m a lot like Pat, above. I would call myself a “Read Whenever I Can” reader. I usually read in early morning and before bed, but carry a book to appointments and anywhere I might have to wait for something. I read a lot of genres, with my favorites being historical fiction and mystery. I also try to read a few ‘classics’ each year.

    I have known #3’s, which is why I dropped out of my book club about 8 years ago. So much happier about my reading journey now.

  10. I would best be described as an “ALWAYS reader” or ‘she-who-never-does-NOT-have-a-book-in-hand’. Binge reader would be a good fit, but I don’t ever stop reading (PERISH the thought!). If there’s nothing current that’s caught my attention, I re-read some of my favorites. But I guess that could be a different stereotype as well. I love reading before bed, so #10 covers me as well and I, too, have looked at the clock in the wee hours of the morning swearing to myself only one more chapter 🙂

  11. A couple of these fit me. I’m a lot of #10, and little bit #8 & 9 and definitely #7. I just can’t help myself. I like to know the end, so that I can catch all the foreshadowing and hints as I read the entire book.

  12. Jody, you didn’t mention the ones who complain because of the high price of books (when they pay almost that much for a cup of coffee at Starbucks) or the readers who can’t understand why you don’t write and publish books as quickly as they can read them. But no matter, I’m grateful–as I’m sure you are–for all these types. Thanks for sharing this.

  13. While I probably look like the Speed Reader or the Know-it-all Reader, it is because I am the Can’t-put-book down Reader and therefore finish books more quickly than those who only read for an hour or so a day. 🙂

  15. I’m the bedtime reader. While I also read at other times like when I’m waiting in doctors’ offices, in line at the post office, etc., I almost always read for a while before turning off the light and going to sleep. It does relax me and erases the cares of the day.

  16. I have been a #10 reader but started to notice my kids got frantic when I was never there for them. I really had to pray about that and now I am a#7 and #8. I also prayed that the Lord not take away my books altogether.😍

      1. I like that prayer, too – or that there will surely be a huge library in heaven. 😉

  17. I would add a catagory: spends hours each day looking at blogs for reviews on new books and enters as many contests as she can. Wins lots of books and loves Facebook book parties, but still goes to the library once a week, has numerous free ebooks on her kindle. Then has trouble picking her next book except for the ones that she has to read because she’s on an influencer/street team! But she’s picky about whose team she is on. Tries to always write a review for the last book before she starts another one but may have 4 books on her “currently reading “list on Goodreads. Reads kindle book at breakfast and lunch because they prop up better and turn pages easier while eating. Prefers a “ real” book before bed, but it crashes to the floor when she falls asleep reading it and there goes the bookmark!
    This was a great post!

  18. If there is a Careful Reader (mentioned here in the comments), then there is also the Abusive Reader who returns a book with a broken spine, curled-back cover, creased if not ripped pages, food stains, and even occasionally writing inside the book. And the Careful Reader weeps to discover what this supposed friend has done to her books.

  20. I couldn’t pick out which group I belong in! None of them fit me. I read all the time, but not to the point of neglecting other stuff. SOOOO MANY wonderful books in the library to choose from and so little time to read them all!!! I do purchase a few books for myself and my 2 daughters and some of my granddaughters who love to read. But the library where everything is free is the best thing since sliced bread! I read around 100 books a year.

  23. Jody this is a great list! Since I usually read a book a day, I’m a combination of 1 and 10.

  24. I will only read Christian Fiction . I’m a slow reader and read for enjoyment.

  25. I love this post! I’m a mix of ending- first (which I know many people think is wierd)and picky reader. For reading for enjoyment I generally only read Christian historical romance and spiritual life books. However as a college student I also read a lot of scholarly works. For these I am a dissecter, which I don’t like because I have trouble enjoying a text when I have to take notes on it. Thanks Jody for this great post!

  26. I use to be 8 and 10. Now I don’t make the list. I will have times I read whenever I can then go months reading very little but its due to pain and exhaustion rather than anything else. right now I am in a reading valley due to these issues. I suffer constantly from headpain and migraines like 24/7 and there are times the pain is up at 8 out of 10 and I struggle to function let alone read as it hurts. I miss reading 100+ books a year

  27. I’m #11 – the one not on the list. I cannot control myself and always have at least 2 or 3 books going at once. I justify it by having a fiction, maybe a non-fiction and something spiritual to improve my soul. (Stop laughing – I know I’m only fooling myself.) I guess I just can’t help myself but oh dear, I do love a good book!

  30. I enjoy literary fiction and the classics. In fact my bookshelves are packed with everything from Shakespeare to Austin, nonfiction and fiction, in addition to my personal favorite, historical works of the Old West. I read what interests me, and in all honesty, I’ve learned plenty from the works of the masters, particularly in regard to their craft. I’m not sure how favoring literary works, however, earns readers the snob label. To me, classics and literary fiction have withstood the test of time and are well worth reading. I love the complexity of the plots and characters, something many novels of today lack. What I take from literary works is one reason why I return to those works time after time. But that doesn’t make me a snob. It’s too bad certain tendencies earn less-than-preferable labels. What matters most is that people read.

  31. I’m book before bedtime reader and have been every night since as long as I’ve been able to read on my own. (Before that my parents read to me at bedtime.) Another stereotype you might add is the waiting-room-reader who brings a book everywhere and reads while waiting at different places, which is something I often do. 😉

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