I was never even aware that people visualize things differently until only a few years ago. This week I want us all to discuss how we visualize what we’re reading, and I’m hoping that you all feel free to chime in. The idea of visualization while reading wasn’t something that I thought about, and I honestly just thought that everyone experienced books the same way that I did. However, I’ve come to learn that there’s a huge range of visualization experiences while reading.

The picture above shows the spectrum of visualization, from hyperphantasia (#1) to aphantasia (#5). Most people fall somewhere in the middle, while between 1-3% of people experience hyperphantasia and aphantasia. 

I happen to fall on the more visual end of the spectrum, somewhere between a 1 and a 2. When I read a book, it’s like watching a movie in my head—I can vividly visualize what the writer is describing, especially if they use very descriptive writing. It was a complete revelation to me when a close friend of mine shared that they really don’t picture things vividly in their head when reading. That’s actually how I started proofreading for her. She’s an author, and I pointed out that the eye color of one of her main characters changed colors multiple times over the course of her book. It also explains why she creates these elaborate mood boards and TikTok videos when she’s writing a new book, while I can just close my eyes and visualize characters and settings, both when I’m writing and reading. 

I’m curious to see where you fall on the scale. How do you visualize what you’re  reading?