The first thing a reader must consider when approaching a piece of literature is the purpose for reading. A reader could read a piece of literature for enjoyment, to gain information or to develop a deeper understanding of the world around them, for example. Determining the purpose for reading is the first step because this purpose will inform how many of the stages the reader must move through when navigating the text.
Prediction is almost always the next step a reader undertakes. Even if a reader does not actively attempt to predict what will happen in the text, she almost always makes educated guesses as to the contents of a piece of literature, even if this guessing takes place subconsciously.
The next step, and often the last step, in reading literature is the initial reading. If an individual is just reading a piece of literature for enjoyment, he may just read it once, mulling over the words and enjoying the story without fully committing to developing a deeper understanding of the text.
If a reader chooses to, she may re-read a piece of literature. This re-reading can take place as a result of the reader's enjoyment of the text the first time or because she intends to use the text for some greater purpose. For example, if the reader intends to write a simple book report on the piece of literature, she will almost certainly re-read the text.
To derive an even deeper understanding of the text, the reader must engage in critical reading. This is the final stage in literature reading, and a stage through which many readers do not travel. When engaging in critical reading, the reader must ask himself questions about the text, seeking to judge or otherwise evaluate the text. Generally, literature readers only engage in critical reading if they are exploring a piece of literature for a scholarly reason.