A Heuristic To Reading

~1 min read

In all writing, do so in a clear state of mind, and dedicate yourself fully to that task. Do not flip between articles.
Do not read too much per day. Allow all things the time they need. An essay may need a whole day, and so two essays of importance should be split by day. Like food, literature needs to digest. Consumption without mind for digestion will leave writing read but unprocessed.
In regards to all writing, do not seek resolution upon reading. Do not immediately look up a guide, nor explanation. Let it simmer, sit with the tension of your personal interpretation as it is allowed to develop unwillingly. Then later, seek discussion. It is okay to write thoughts.
In regards to annotation, I have found highlighting or excerpting to be sufficient. Marking text should carry enough information to infer its importance, and to do more is distracting.
In regards to poetry, read first in full. Allow yourself to read the words as they are pronounced, without regard for meaning. then read again, more deliberately. The same operation can be said for the essay or story, though in these cases you should more regularly (once a paragraph) test yourself to see if you are truly following along.