I only imagine myself as a MC if I have a lot of similarities with the MC, no matter if it is bad or good. There was indeed some cases I was stressed out bcs of the immersion is too high and I also started to wish for the impossible. I think it is better if you don't imagine yourself as a MC, just for the sake of your mental health...
Reading through the responses, I realize that one's identity can also affect one's immersion when reading novels. I personally don't have a strong sense of self and try to be as neutral as possible in all scenarios. I come off as emotionless/indifferent to others, even got called a GMO by a close friend. I guess this problem allows me to more easily immerse into novels in the first-person POV since I can adapt various values depending on the situation as long as it is not "true evil." (I forgot the philosophy term meh) Although I'm calling it a problem, I don't really view it as one since I am content with who I am today.
Generally, I like imagining what I would do in MC's situation, but after reading. I like my protagonists with their own personality, I don't read many stories where the MC is a blank slate to fit myself into. Even with isekai, I can't relate to perverted otakus anyway, and neither to overworked office workers with no life besides the job they hate.
I hardly see any MC as myself cause I always shape their figure based on their description or I just imagine their figure which might matches their characteristics and personality in the book.. I wonder how you’re able to see yourself as the MC, I’m partially curious
I'm not sure how to explain it, but how I visualize novels is that whatever happens to the MC and emotions the MC feels, I also feel. Whenever the MC name comes up like Bob, I just pass over it and has no impact on me. This may partly explain why I'm bad with remembering names from novels. As another poster describes, it's like being an invisible person inside the MC or next to him maybe?
imagine as MC ? nope, but this cat can and sometimes imagine as character that not exist on the story watch or react to event on the story or interact with the characters on the story with imaginary possible outcome~ a bystander~ or there other way imagine what if! typical on fanfic area stuff~ that teacher is weird tho~ some story ya need to imagine as the characters inside to fully enjoy it as @Westeller said, the second person style is purfect example for it~ well this cat not really interest toward second person style tho~ humbert the lolita author like pun err wordplay so if we can't appreciate pun it kinda miss~ said the other cat who already read english ver.... the original was russian but hum also good on english so it good she said~
No, don't do it. What If the novel had NTR shit in there? Joke aside. If the novel written in 3rd person POV, then I'm the 3rd person. If it was first person POV, I most likely think myself as the mc.
It depends on the story, the character, and the circumstances the story revolves around. If the story revolves around something I desperately desire, true companionship and love, then I am going to silently cry myself to sleep while cheering with the protagonist over his wins, crying when he loses, and nodding sagely when he learns something. If the story revolves around growth and development, I will be trying to learn something that I might not have known. See something from another perspective and grow myself. Sometimes a book has multiple POVs. Now thinking about it, it is quite smart. There are many characteristics and some have to overlap with yours. Thus increasing the familiarity to the characters and at the same time increasing the reading experience. But as with all mediums, what might have worked during a certain life chapter, might become garbage or useless in the latter ones and vice versa. I remember immersing myself in the many wish fulfillment novels out there. During a time where the rankings of novel updates were reigned by titles such as Against the gods, Martial god asura, and Tales of Demons and Gods. While they are your typical "wish-fulfillment" novels, now looking at them they do a couple of things extremely well. Though now I am rather desiring something else. So full circling back to the topic of whether or not imagining yourself in the story? It is helpful and destructive alike. You will learn with the character, whether bad or good, and see multiple viewpoints created by the author. It allows for natural growth that might come in handy if you don't have to experience it for yourself. But the same can be said for the opposite. Just an ending thought, imagining yourself in the story will create some of the most famous stories in the world. Examples being: Harry Potter, nothing against him but character-wise he is quite bland compared to his friends. Same with Twilight.
Nah, it's upsetting when the MC makes stupid decisions and they do that all the time. That's why I prefer reading novels written in a third-person perspective.