Stop Following These 7 Reading "Rules" (They're Classist Gatekeeping, Not Real Advice)
If someone's judging your reading habits, they're telling on themselves, not you
Put a finger down if you’ve ever heard one of these.
“Audiobooks don’t count as reading.”
“You should never dog-ear pages.”
“Genre fiction isn’t REAL literature.”
“If you’re not annotating, you’re not really reading.”
“Speed reading means you’re not absorbing anything.”
I realized: These aren’t reading rules. They’re class markers.
They’re ways the “well-read” elite signal to each other that they’re part of the club while making everyone else feel like they’re doing it wrong.
So let’s burn it down, shall we?
Here are 7 reading “rules” that are actually just snobbery in disguise.
1. “Audiobooks Don’t Count as Real Reading”
The Rule: If you didn’t physically turn pages with your eyeballs, you didn’t really read the book.
Why It’s BS: This one is my personal rage trigger.
You know who says audiobooks don’t count?
People with unlimited free time
People who don’t have hour-long commutes
People who don’t have ADHD, dyslexia, or vision problems
People who’ve never had to choose between “read” and “do literally anything else today”
The truth: Consuming a book through your ears uses the SAME language processing parts of your brain as reading with your eyes. Studies prove this. The comprehension is identical. The only difference is the sensory input.
What they’re really saying: “I have the luxury of sitting still for hours, and I want credit for that.”
Hot take: Listening to 50 books a year while commuting makes you more well-read than the person who owns 50 unread books they’re “saving for later.”
If you absorbed the content, you read the book. Period.
2. “You Should Never Write in Books or Dog-Ear Pages”
The Rule: Books are sacred objects that must be preserved in pristine condition.
Why It’s BS: This is the most obvious class marker on the list.
You know who can afford to keep books pristine?
People who can buy multiple copies
People who have dedicated home libraries with climate control
People who learned “book respect” from parents who owned first editions
People who view books as collectibles, not tools
The truth: Books are meant to be USED. Scribbling in margins, highlighting passages, dog-earing pages you love—that’s active reading. That’s engagement.
What they’re really saying: “I can afford to treat books like museum pieces instead of functional objects.”
My confession: My copy of The Count of Monte Cristo is held together with tape and hope. The margins are filled with notes like “REVENGE ARC SATISFYING” and “Dantès is unhinged here.” It’s my most beloved book BECAUSE it looks like it’s been read to death.
Hot take: A pristine bookshelf is just expensive wallpaper. A destroyed book is a loved book.
3. “Genre Fiction Isn’t REAL Literature”
The Rule: Romance, sci-fi, fantasy, mystery, and thrillers are “guilty pleasures,” not serious reading.
Why It’s BS: This is literary elitism at its most transparent.
The breakdown:
Romance = not serious (because women like it)
Mystery = not serious (because it’s plot-driven)
Sci-fi = not serious (unless it’s dystopian social commentary, then it’s “speculative fiction”)
Fantasy = not serious (unless it’s Game of Thrones, then it’s “epic”)
Literary fiction = SERIOUS (because... uh... it’s boring and has metaphors?)
The truth: Genre fiction often has:
Tighter plotting than literary fiction
Better character development
More cultural impact (looking at you, Harry Potter)
Actual entertainment value
What they’re really saying: “I define my intelligence by the boredom threshold of my reading choices.”
Examples of “not real literature” that shaped culture:
Frankenstein (Mary Shelley, 1818) - Gothic horror, dismissed as genre fiction
The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood, 1985) - Sci-fi, now a “classic”
Gone Girl (Gillian Flynn, 2012) - Thriller, but it’s a cultural phenomenon
The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins, 2008) - YA dystopian, outsold most “literary fiction”
Hot take: If you’re reading 50 romance novels a year, you’re reading more than the person who’s been “working on” Ulysses for 3 years.
4. “If You’re Not Annotating, You’re Not Really Reading”
The Rule: Real readers take notes, highlight, and analyze every metaphor.
Why It’s BS: This is academic gatekeeping pretending to be helpful advice.
The truth: Annotating is useful for:
Students who need to write papers
Book club members preparing to discuss
People who genuinely enjoy that process
It’s NOT required for:
Understanding the book
Enjoying the book
Being “well-read”
Having valid opinions about the book
What they’re really saying: “I perform my reading comprehension so others can see how smart I am.”
Hot take: Sometimes a book just needs to be experienced, not analyzed. If you’re annotating Pride and Prejudice instead of laughing at Mr. Collins, you’re doing it wrong.
5. “You Should Finish Every Book You Start”
The Rule: DNF-ing (Did Not Finish) is quitting, and quitters never win.
Why It’s BS: This is the most toxic reading advice that exists.
The math:
Average person reads 12 books per year
Average lifespan = 80 years
That’s 960 books in a lifetime if you start at age 0 (you won’t)
You literally do not have time to waste on books you hate.
What they’re really saying: “I have unlimited leisure time and no other responsibilities, and I think you do too.”
The truth: Every hour you spend on a book you’re not enjoying is an hour you’re NOT spending on a book you’d love.
Life’s too short for:
Books that don’t grab you by page 50
Books everyone said you “should” read
Books you’re only reading to say you read them
Books that feel like homework
Hot take: DNF-ing is a superpower. Use it liberally.
6. “Speed Reading Means You’re Not Absorbing Anything”
The Rule: If you read fast, you’re skimming and missing the depth.
Why It’s BS: Reading speed and comprehension are NOT inversely related.
The truth:
Some people naturally read faster
Some genres (thriller, romance) are designed to be read quickly
Fast readers can still analyze and appreciate literature
Slow reading doesn’t automatically equal deep reading
What they’re really saying: “I read slowly, so I’ve decided that’s the superior way to read.”
The counterpoint: You know what’s worse than “speed reading”? Never finishing books because you’re forcing yourself to read at an artificially slow pace to seem more thoughtful.
Hot take: Read at whatever speed feels natural. The book police aren’t real.
7. “You Should Only Read Physical Books”
The Rule: E-readers and tablets are destroying “real reading.”
Why It’s BS: This is just nostalgia masquerading as principle.
The truth:
E-readers make books accessible to people with vision problems (adjustable font sizes)
E-readers are portable (carry 1,000 books in your pocket)
E-readers are often cheaper than physical books
E-readers have built-in dictionaries and note-taking
Who benefits from physical-only reading:
People with space for bookshelves
People who can afford hardcovers
People who don’t travel frequently
People who want their books to be visible status symbols
What they’re really saying: “I want credit for the aesthetic of reading, not just the act of reading.”
Hot take: Your Kindle library is just as valid as someone’s floor-to-ceiling built-in bookshelves. Actually, it’s more impressive because you’ve probably read more of your books.
So What ARE the Real Rules of Reading?
After tearing down all the fake rules, here are the only reading rules that actually matter:
The ACTUAL Rules:
Read what you enjoy. Life’s too short for books that feel like punishment.
DNF without guilt. You don’t owe a book anything.
Any format counts. Audiobook, e-reader, physical, large print, graphic novel adaptation—if you consumed the story, you read it.
Genre is meaningless. Romance novels and literary fiction are both valid. Read both. Read neither. Read whatever.
Your brain, your rules. Annotate or don’t. Speed read or savor. Dog-ear or bookmark. Whatever works for YOUR brain.
Reading is not a competition. 4 books a year is fine. 400 books a year is fine. Stop comparing.
The point is the reading, not the performance. If you’re reading to impress people, you’re doing it for the wrong reasons.
Why These “Rules” Persist
Here’s the uncomfortable truth:
Reading gatekeeping is classism.
For centuries, literacy was a privilege of the wealthy. Being “well-read” meant you had:
Time (you weren’t working manual labor 12 hours a day)
Money (books were expensive)
Education (you learned to read, which wasn’t universal)
Space (you had a library or study)
These reading “rules” are leftovers from that era. They’re ways the educated class signals “we’re not like OTHER readers.”
Your Turn: Which “Rule” Made You Feel Bad?
I want to hear from you:
Which reading “rule” made you feel like you were doing it wrong?
Drop it in the comments. Let’s create a list of reading gatekeeping so comprehensive that nobody ever feels bad about their reading habits again.
Bonus points if:
Someone actually said it to you IRL
It stopped you from reading for a while
You STILL feel guilty breaking it
It’s extremely specific and weird
And If You’re Ready to Stop Feeling Guilty and Start Actually Reading:
I’ve created resources specifically for people who’ve been told they’re “doing reading wrong”:
📖 Free Guide: Read 9 Classics in a Year - No rules, no pressure, no gatekeeping. Just a practical plan for reading the classics you actually WANT to read, in whatever format works for you. Audiobooks encouraged. Get it for free when you subscribe.
📚 The Actually Useful Classics Reading Guide (Paid Ebook) - 55 pages of permission-giving, judgment-free strategies including:
Why audiobooks are 100% valid (with research to back it up)
How to DNF strategically
Reading speed isn’t a virtue
Annotation is optional
Genre is meaningless
Because here’s the thing: Reading should make you feel smarter, not stupider.
If someone’s reading “rules” make you feel bad, the problem is the rules, not you.
The Bottom Line
These aren’t reading rules. They’re class markers.
They’re ways people signal “I have time, money, and education” without saying it directly.
And you know what? You don’t have to play that game.
Read however you want. In whatever format you want. At whatever speed you want. With as many dog-eared pages and margin notes as you want.
The book snobs will judge you. Let them.
They’re not reading for joy anyway. They’re reading for status.
You’re already winning.
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Leave a comment - What reading “rule” are you breaking today? I want to celebrate every single rule violation.
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