Last year I read about 35 books. Not a huge amount but more than your average American. (Please don’t google that statistic it’s pretty sad.) Here are some things I learned along the way. These tips will absolutely help you read more.
Turn the television off.
I enjoy watching movies. Television shows however will waste away the days of your life showing no remorse. How many reruns of Friends and Fraiser can you watch? If you don’t have time to read a novel, pick up a short story.
Find something you actually like reading.
Don’t try and read through a novel just because a critic said it was good. If you don’t like something, don’t try and read it. It’s okay. If you like reading about dragons and castles go for it. If you like Harry Potter, Sci-Fi, Crime, Vampires, Sci-Fi. It doesn’t matter. Just read.
Read Shorter Books.
Don’t just say you’re going to read more and turn to the first page of Stephen King’s The Stand. Start small and work your way up. Look for books that aren’t more than 100-150 pages. It feels good to finish reading a book. Read shorter books, Feel good about your accomplishments, and continue reading. I currently won’t pick up a book if it is more than 400 pages. I know my limits. The Great Gatsby and The Old Man And The Sea are great short books. H.G Wells also comes to mind.
Have a few different books around. When people watch TV and get board they change the channel. You might just not be in the mood to read something at the time. Try reading something else. Any given week I have at least 3-4 books out from the library. Some weeks I will read straight through without switching. There are other times that switch 3 times in the same day.
Find someplace quiet.
This can be tough. Do the unthinkable. Turn the cell phone off for 1 hour. Close the internet browser on your computer. Shut down Twitter. Enjoy the silence for a moment. Take a breath and start reading.
Read books that are printed in a decent size font.
I would go out of my mind trying to read one of those pocket-size paperbacks they sell in Walmart or at the grocery store. Go to the library and borrow a full-size book with a decent font. If you’re using a digital book reader like an iPad or kindle you should be able to increase the font size to a comfortable place for your eye.
Ask other people what they have read.
When you can talk to someone about a book it’s a lot more fun. Social networking is great for this. Search twitter right now and find someone that is reading what you are reading.
Read more. You can do it.
Do you have any good tips you can share on how to read more? What are you reading right now?