How To Read More

I finished reading my 15th book this year and have started on my 16th. It's not a competition, of course. In previous years, I have created reading goals for myself i.e. read x amount of books in a year. Those goals probably came from seeing all these book people online who seem to consume books at neck-breaking speeds magically.

I started being kinder to myself and dropped any unrealistic reading goals this year. My only goal was to get back into the habit of reading. I had always known this, but to be a better writer, I needed to be an even better reader. This was recently affirmed when I came across this post by Philipp Temmel.

These are some strategies I've implemented lately to encourage myself to read more consistently.

1. Utilise my Kobo Nia

It took me a while back then to search for an e-reader and I landed on the Kobo Nia. I specifically bought mine because it has Overdrive, which meant that I had access to NLB's ebook collection. It was also the cheapest one on the market. It has done its job since 2020 and I'm pleased.

This is how I do it now: I will borrow a book on the Libby app on my phone, then refresh my Kobo Nia. Et voilà, my borrowed books will appear.

There were some problems though. Once, I borrowed an English book on Libby but when I refreshed my Kobo Nia, the Polish version appeared. I can't understand Polish. I suspect the book was not available in English on Overdrive. It wasn't a big deal though, as the book was available physically at a library branch close to my workplace.

Bringing the Kobo around has been useful because I do not need to carry physical books and I can read on my commutes (which explains why I've been slacking on my #MRTNotes, lol), on flights when I can't sleep and nothing on the screen entertains me, or before I go to bed.

2. Stop Reading Books I Don't Like

Sometimes I force myself to read certain books because I think it will make me a "better" person, or the book is on a List of some sort.

It's okay to stop reading a book you think will make you the type of person you had in mind. I developed a "productivity books fatigue" earlier this year from reading productivity books back to back. I thought it would help me solve my productivity issues. Spoiler alert: they didn't solve anything. They added to my self-loathing. But that's a story for another time.

It's okay if you don't read a book on the NYT bestseller list. I learned recently that books on these lists are just books that are marketed well - writers with a good enough following (or a great team) who can ask their audience to pre-order their books have a better chance of getting on these lists than others.

There's a term called Did Not Finish (DNF) in the book world. Quite a number of books have made it to my DNF list - one I do not track.

3. Read Books that I ENJOY!

Don't police yourself over something you ENJOY doing. We do ourselves such a disservice when we stop ourselves from doing things we like, including reading books in genres that are not considered "intellectual". Being able to read is a privilege in itself. If you're no longer in school and do not need to read a specific genre, then READ WHATEVER YOU LIKE!

There have to be millions of writers and possibly endless categories of stories. Find books based on stories you would like to read then GO FOR IT. Seriously.

Hell, even if it's a 2-minute blog post, if that's what you enjoy, then do it.

Life is too short, enjoy it while it lasts.

4. Include Audiobooks in my Count

I consider listening to audiobooks as reading. Audiobooks are just books read out loud, anyway. It helps when you're pressed for time or cannot physically read a book. I'm glad the NLB has audiobooks for borrowing too! 😄

5. Create a "To Read" List

I only have two "to read" lists: fiction and non-fiction. This way, I never run out of books to read. The lists have grown uncontrollably though; I have more than enough books "to read" in this lifetime and the next.

It's important to note that it’s not about how many books you read, but how much you enjoy each one. These strategies have helped me to find joy in reading again and I hope they do the same for you, too. Happy reading!