Moving Beyond Books: The Art of Being a "Reader’s Reader"
For some, reading is a hobby. It’s a great way to unwind before bed. But for others, it’s a lifestyle… an imperative every day. No matter what. We call these people "readers’ readers." (You know, like a writer’s writer.)
A reader’s reader doesn't just consume text; they live within a wider artistic ecosystem. To them, a novel isn’t an isolated island. It’s more of a bridge to a painting, a symphony, or a conversation at a local gallery. They understand that meaning isn't found just in the ink (or tablet, if that’s their preference), but in the intersection of all creative expressions.
The Twin Cities: A Literary Playground
In the Twin Cities, we are incredibly fortunate to live in a place where “The Reading Life" extends far beyond the bookshelf. Being a reader’s reader here means your local environment is constantly feeding your imagination. If you aspire to go beyond reading casually and reading like you mean it, try these activities on for size:
Visual narratives at the Mia: Have you ever read a historical novel and then walked through the Minneapolis Institute of Art to see the textiles and tools of that era? Seeing the weight of a physical object can give a sentence an entirely new gravity.
The "Open Book" atmosphere: Stepping into Open Book in downtown Minneapolis—where the Minnesota Center for Book Arts meets The Loft —reminds us that a book is a physical craft. Seeing the letterpress machines and the smell of fresh paper reminds us that storytelling is a tactile, human labor.
Stories in motion at the Walker: The Walker Art Center often hosts "Free Thursday Nights" that blend cinema, performance, and poetry. For a reader’s reader, seeing a conceptual art piece can break open a creative block or help them see a metaphor in their current book from a completely different angle.
When we engage with the arts in the Twin Cities, we aren't just "going out." It’s more like we are gathering the raw materials our minds use to build the worlds we read about.
Why "Art in All Forms" Matters for Meaning
In the age of AI, a thousand variations of a story can be generated in seconds. So what’s a reader’s reader to do? Simple: Seek out intentionality.
AI creates based on patterns, but art is created from presence. When you listen to a local musician at a neighborhood haunt or attend a reading at Magers & Quinn, you are experiencing the "un-summarizable" parts of life. You are feeling the room, the subtext, and the shared breath of a community.
This sensory richness is what creates a sense of belonging. It reminds us that we aren't just consumers of "content.” We are participants in a culture. We are part of a community, if we seek it out to connect.
Moving from Reader to Stakeholder: The Delaney Insight Circle
We believe that the most dedicated readers shouldn't just be at the end of the publishing chain—they should be at the heart of it. This is why we have introduced a new way to belong: The Delaney Insight Circle.
While a traditional book club gathers to discuss what has already been written, the Circle goes a step further. It is a place for those who want to help shape the future of our independent press.
Think of it as a collective of readers’ readers who come together like a super high level book club. But instead of reading one book, they review manuscripts, discuss emerging themes in our culture, and ultimately help decide what DELANEY will publish next.
Want to help decide which stories the world needs right now? Find out more about the Delaney Insight Circle on the Advisory page. Make sure that the books we put out into the world carry the weight that our friends and neighbors deserve.
