Many people say they would like to read more books but don’t have the time. If you are one of these people, look at your phone’s screen time. If it is above an hour, then you have more time to read.
Here are more practical tips on how to increase the number of books you read. However, a word of caution: this should be so that you enjoy more books, not so you can reach some arbitrary reading goal or compete with others. The main principle of all reading should be to enjoy it.
Audiobooks
When I started listening to audiobooks, I heard all the advice from people who listened on 2x speed and thought, how? The truth is I still do not listen at that speed. But there are books where you can increase the speed, and every little helps.
My biggest tip is not to set yourself a rigid speed that you always listen to. Instead, adjust this for each book; some narrators naturally read more quickly than others. For example, recently I listened to an Elly Griffiths book on 1.8x speed. My next read, Mythos by Stephen Fry, I slowed down to 1.2x.
Another way to fully absorb the books you read is to tandem read. Simply put, you listen to the audiobook whilst reading the physical book. This takes some juggling to get the speed right, but it is a truly immersive way to read.
Quit Hard Books
I worry when people say they have never DNF’d (did not finish) a book. There are so many books in the world that no one will ever read them all, so why struggle through a book you are not enjoying?
Do not be afraid to say, “No, this is not for me,” and walk away. Sometimes you might come back to the book later, and it is simply a case of wrong book, wrong time. Sometimes the book isn’t for you.
This is especially true if you follow BookTok or Bookstagram. Books are recommended there all the time, and you feel like you will miss out if you do not read the book that everyone is talking about. The truth is you will not be the only person who did not like a popular book, and there are too many others you could love instead.
Read more than one book at a time
Most of us watch multiple television shows at a time. Sure, with the invention of Netflix, some of us binge-watch shows. But most of us know that sometimes we sit down and fancy a heavy drama, and sometimes we want to watch The Real Housewives and concentrate on nothing.
This is the same for books. Sometimes I want to read a history book; sometimes, an easy novel. Have multiple books on the go at once. That way, you always have a selection for whatever you are in the mood for.
I also have different formats that I read on. At a minimum, I always have an audiobook and a physical book on the go at once. That way, when you are doing something with your hands, you can still listen to a story. Some books are better in one form than another, so if you DNF’d a book recently, try it on an alternative format and see if you like it.
Read what you love
There is a lot of snobbery around reading, and I have no idea why. “You must read the classics.” “If you haven’t read any Dickens, are you even a reader?” It is all rubbish. Whether you are into fantasy, romantasy, or plain smut, read what you love.
Never let anyone shame you for the books you are reading. Because no matter what you are reading, you are accomplishing something many people don’t: reading a book.
Fun fact: when Fifty Shades of Grey was released, so many people did not want others to see what they were reading that sales of Kindle devices doubled.
Take a book everywhere with you
This last tip is so simple I shouldn’t have to write it, but if you want to read more, you have to have a book with you everywhere you go. Every day, I carry a book in my bag so I can read when I get five minutes.
If you want to keep your books beautiful and can’t bear the thought of throwing them in your bag, then get an e-reader—even if it is just an app on your phone.
You will be surprised how these five minutes, grabbed here and there, can mount up to be a whole extra book in a month.
What is your number one tip to read more? Pop it in the comments and let us all know.
Drop me a comment: Have you read any of the books mentioned let me know in the comments.
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