Feedback Focus

Some of the techniques turned out better than the others. I'd rank them in terms of usefulness as:

1. Copy and Delete

2. Reading out loud

3. using a timer

Copy and delete is good because it requires you to actively pay attention since you have to write notes after every paragraph. It forces you to look at writing style, as well as plot details. I realized that I naturally do a variation of this strategy when going through stories each week. Before reading about this technique, I would normally write notes as ideas or questions came to me. Copy and Delete is therefore a more organized version of what I'm used to doing. 

Reading out loud was less helpful than copy and delete because it didn't necessarily prompt you to think about the details as you're going through them. However, it was nice to hear it out loud, especially since I work best when information is read out loud to me. It was like having an audio book (well, except that I'm the one who is reading it). 

Using a timer set for 10 minutes is a good idea in theory, especially because these days people seem to try to be doing ten things at once. So limiting yourself to one task for a specified amount of time is ideal for studying. However, I found that this technique had too little structure for me. In the future, I'll probably continue using my technique of reading and simultaneously jotting down ideas and comments as I read. 

Source: Wikipedia

My favorite story to read was the one with the King and his bird. I like hearing about how sometimes animals have better senses than humans, and they have their own ways of communicating that to us. Like how they are sensitive to changes in atmospheric pressure, and therefore can sense storms. The King's bird's final act before dying was saving his master from the poison, which was both sad and uplifting.