Everyone’s got his or her favorite reading position: propped up in bed, perched in an overstuffed armchair, or sprawled out on the floor. But here at Read It Forward, we’ve done some extensive research into the best physical way to read each genre: from nail-biting page-turners that demand absolute stillness to sweeping romances where you can stretch out like a years-long love affair, each of these poses has as much personality as the book it’s meant to be paired with. Here’s our illustrated guide to the best reading positions for every genre. Find your favorite reading position, share it on social media and encourage your bookworm friends to find theirs!
Mystery & Thriller
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You know how when you’re at the movies, you shrink into your seat with your hands covering your face? Reading a thrilling page-turner feels like the same experience: you can’t possibly tear your eyes off the page and the smallest movement will spike your adrenaline.
YA
When reading a YA novel, you want to become immersed in the characters’ world as much as possible, and as soon as possible—no matter how uncomfortable your reading position is. You’re in the zone and you can’t be bothered with moving. If you’re reading with a friend, they can help prop up the book for you—or just curl up and keep you company until you reach a good stopping point.
Romance
Sprawl on your stomach with the book laid out in front of you, so that you can better flip back to revisit the scenes that gave you butterflies. And during every declaration of love, you can rest your chin on your arms and sigh happily.
Epic Fantasy
Crawl into the comfiest chair you own (or can find) and sit cross-legged, with the book resting in your lap. The key part is having one hand free to sip some wine (in lieu of mead) or pull nibbles from a plate as you read about the decadent, richly-described feasts in fantastical settings.
Science Fiction
Reading sci-fi is an active pose—standing as if at your own command station and hands unencumbered, so you’re able to drink some tea (Earl Grey, hot) and meet the alien threat head-on.
Bath or Beach Read
It’s in the name—the best position for breezing through a beach read usually involves getting sand in your clothes. But, when it’s not summer, those books work equally well for a long soak in the tub. Recreate the beach read experience in your own home by drawing a nice, warm, scented bath and losing yourself in a good book.
Long Read
The long read cannot be contained in one single reading position. Just as a hundreds-of-pages-long tome can take you through eras or worlds, the physical book itself will accompany you on the morning commute, at a coffee shop, at the gym, or out in public at a party for one. After all, everything you need is in your book.
What position do you find yourself reading in most often? Tell us in the comments!
Illustrations by Michele Svengsouk.
