How to read more books?
There is one group of people who do not like to read books. They, sadly, have no idea what they are missing out on. For people who like reading, the challenge always lies with how to get to read more.
Yes, we love reading. That we have established but how do we make time to read as much as we want to.
I read about 40-50 books a year, which is a number that I am still not happy with.
Why, you ask?
I have an ever growing collection of books piling up on my bookshelf and even more so in E-book versions and these are all books that I so badly want to read.
Let me help you with few tips as to how I manage to read as much as I do. If you already do read more than that many, maybe you could leave comments that might help me :)
Photo by Radu Marcusu on Unsplash
1. Join a reading challenge
Joining a reading challenge is the best way to push yourself to get to it. Seeing how many books you are behind by or how many you are ahead of, should sure push you to keep at it. While doing this challenge, it is however important that you do not lose track of the actual purpose, which is to read more and enjoy doing it. Do not rush through just so that you can meet the count.
I would suggest trying out Goodreads. It has a book challenge option where you can enter the number of books you intend to read for the current year and would help you keep a track.
2. Cut down on your social network usage.
People spend a lot more time on social networks like Facebook than they realize. I did too. But now I am on Steemit mostly. Steemit has the advantage of helping you read fiction while you are in here. We got some great writers here on Steemit, my favorite being @alexbeyman.
3. Carry a book with you always!
I carry a book always with me in my handbag. The time that you have to sit at a cafe waiting for a friend, waiting at a movie theater, while travelling in cab or bus are all that opportunities to put in that extra 20 pages more a day.
Did you know that Stephen King has the habit to open a book and continue reading even while he is standing in queue at the grocery store.
4. Develop a reading routine.
I have this routine of reading before I sleep. I read a good 30-40 pages in bed before I go to sleep. It has become a habit that I just can't think of skipping. It could be in the evening with a cup of tea or early in the morning with coffee but having a routine really helps.
5. Buy multiple books covering different genre
Always buy books from multiple genre. Sometimes you are 200 pages into a horror novel when you might want a whiff of romance. This might be a good time to dig into that second book that you bought.
A lot of people might now enjoy reading multiple books at a time but for those who do, this would actually help.
If you have any more ways which helps you read more, do leave them in the comment section, might help all of us.
@originalworks
Some good points. I am not good at the last one though. If I switch before finishing, the chances of going back to finish a book drop markedly. Incidentally I am just taking up a book I started ten years ago and never got round to finishing.
Do you ever read a novel more than once?
You have no idea:)
I got one for reading in the living area, one for bedroom and one in the handbag.
Excellent tips. I also have a large library that grows, both in paper format and through e-books. My way is to read at the same time a book in a paper format and one e-book. That's my advice! Enjoy in books :)
May I offer a 6th tip that worked for me? Audio books. Controversial subject apparently for die-hard paper fans (but I can't do e-readers, and it takes a lot of training to know how to "read" a book by listening). Ideal if you are a housewife and must also go through the daily rut of cleaning and cooking or walking the dog. Read more on audio-books in my post with that title.
Audio books never worked for me. They just put me to sleep:)
Maybe that's just me.
I always prefer an actual physical book than an e-book but the "on the go" capability is the only one that attract me to it.
It's definitely not you, I hear this more often. As far as I have worked out it has something to do we my being a particularly hyper active individual. I find paper costs me infintely more energy to remain focussed. The more going on around me (which I can achieve with an audio book) the better I am driven to focus on the narrative in my ears. It becomes a feat in its own league when you try Goethe's Travels, or Gulliver's for that matter, or Crime and Punishment and Middlemarch. Furthermore, some books that I didn't "get" first round, off the page, came alive for me thanks to the performer (who can also get it wrong and spoil a book forever!) The power of the performer. The love of the book. So much to enjoy.