When did you last read for yourself?

Tips for falling back in love with books...

In April, I’ll be teaching a course on falling back in love with reading/books. This will be geared more towards mothers of young children who want to raise their children as readers. But this got me thinking… When did I fall out of love with reading?

As a writer, it is imperative that I read. But, because of that, it has become more of a job than something I CHOOSE to do.

But while prepping for this course, I collected many tips and tricks for my own reading life. And I thought I’d share them here:

PSA: Before we get started, remember that reading should not be hindered by your income! Please visit your local library and get a library card if you can’t purchase books.

Libby changed my reading life. Just connect your library card and you will have access to all of your library’s entire catalogue, including ebooks and audiobooks. Plus, the widget on your home page is an excellent way to break down barriers between you and a good book.

Reread a favorite book / guilty pleasure

If you are someone that dislikes re-reading books, go for one that you know you loved, but that you’ve forgotten most of the plot points.

Don’t start with Les Misérables or Dune or Anna Karenina

One way to kill your motivation is to start something too long or too dense. Stick with an easy read and work your way to the big kahunas and classics.

Get Excited!

Nothing will make you want to read more than psychology! Trick yourself into getting excited! The next few tips are ways you can achieve that.

Create a TBR

I’m a planner. I love a plan. I love having something to look forward to. Creating a TBR of all the books I’m looking forward to gives me that. And also a list I can check off. I LOVE lists.

Join a Readathon!

If you need a little bit of accountability with your fun, join a Readathon! It’s a challenge where you read as much as you can within an allotted amount of time. This may not work for everyone, but it always pumps me up. Often, these are events held by charities, but you can create one with friends or join up with one of many online.

Here is a list of 2023 Readathons!

Draw a challenge!

Some Readathons create fun challenges, but you can also do this at home! Write a bunch of challenges on paper, draw them, and read a book that fits the challenge. This gives you freedom to choose your book to read within certain parameters.

Challenges can include: ‘Read a book with a bird on the cover’ or ‘Read a book with a number in the title’ or ‘Read a book with less than 100 pages’. There are SO MANY.

Join a Book Club!

If you need more accountability than a Readathon, you can join a Book Club! It’s more rigid than other options on this list, but it’s only one book a month (usually) and will expose you to books you wouldn’t usually choose to read. It’s also super fun to chat about it afterwards.

Make it a social activity

Speaking of chatting, make reading a social activity! Read with your parents, kids, friends, or partners. Nothing beats sitting on the sofa under a blanket, checking in with your partner about which page they’re on.

Release Day

Another way to build excitement is to utilize the anticipation of a new release. Mark it on your calendar. Make it an event. Go out and buy it the day it comes out. Get a coffee. Be one of the first people to read it! Then, when all your friends catch on, you can say you read it on Day One.

Feed the spark

If you have a sudden spark of inspiration to read, feed it. Don’t put a book off because you’re reading something else or want to save it for later. Read it NOW. Consume it. Don’t let that spark die.

Don’t apply pressure

Avoid too much structure. Don’t make up at 6am every day to read. Don’t force yourself to compete in a challenge if you’re not feeling it. Don’t make yourself read 50 pages a day. Don’t make reading a chore. Savor it. Don’t burn yourself out.

Set a routine

But also fit reading into your routine. Maybe read while sitting in a particular chair. Or before bed. Or in the car while waiting for kids to get out of soccer practice. Maybe you watch TV after dinner— swap that for a book. The less it interferes with your current routine, the easier it will be.

Romanticize

This is my favorite trick. Pretend you are at a spa. Give yourself some time to have some lemon water or tea. Relax on your front porch or in your reading nook. Put on a face mask. Whatever you have to do to be dreamy-eyed and ready for a good book.

Audiobooks

Audiobooks~!!!!! What a game-changer. These are my go-to for long drives or cleaning house. Your house will be spotless.

That being said, I have difficulty reading Science Fiction and Fantasy books via audiobook. I stick to easier genres, such as Thrillers, Romance, Self-Help, and Memoirs. And, as a writer, I still need to read physical books to keep up on craft and style. So I can’t depend on this entirely.

Purchase physical books.

Because I have a hard time listening to certain genres, I use this trick to get me to read SciFi and Fantasy. I go out and buy books. The more I see a book, the more excited I get and the more likely I will read it. Especially if it is staring at me from my bookshelf for two months.

Keep a Reading Journal.

Tracking your reading is also a fun way to gamify your reading. You can purchase an actual reading journal (like this one). Or you can use a blank notebook and make your own. I’ve also seen so many cute ways to track books via bullet journals, like these:

Utilize your phone

And finally, for those of you with a phone addiction —use it to your benefit. Follow bookish accounts on social media, join bookish chats and clubs, post pictures of books you want to read. Set your wallpaper to your TBR, challenges, or a beautiful bookshelf. Trick your brain into thinking about books.

And, most importantly, if you read on your phone, make sure it’s accessible from the home page. Nothing gets me to read more than looking down at my phone and seeing my book right there. I press play and an audiobook begins. Easy Peazy.

I hope these tips and tricks help you fall back in love with books.

And send me any other ideas that I forgot to mention.

Happy Reading!