How to Become a Bookworm
Reading books is a common goal people strive to do every year and understandably so. Reading books has always been a valuable human activity even in ancient times.
“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies . . . The man who never reads lives only one.”
— George R.R. Martin
By reading books, you can emerge yourself into the world of wizards. You can interact with aliens from another planet. You can gain knowledge on a specific subject from experts, living and dead.
The possibilities are endless when it comes to books.
Reading books has opened my mind to a variety of subjects. Books have helped improve me as a person, mentally and physically.
I can honestly say books changed my life for the better.
For the past 3 years, I averaged reading 10 books a year.
At the time of writing this post, I have read 10 books in one month!
If you find it difficult in maintaining a good reading habit, or you want to read more books this year, FEAR NOT…
Here are some strategies that I use that can help you become an awesome bookworm!
Have a Strong “Why?”
Ask yourself why are you reading? And be honest with yourself.
- Do you want to learn something new?
- Do you want to adopt a new hobby?
- Do you want something more mentally stimulating than watching Netflix?
You cannot achieve a goal if you do not have a solid reason for having that goal in the first place.
Let me ask you this,
Who is more inclined to build a good reading habit?
Person 1:
Someone with a genuine interest to learn something new?
Someone who enjoys strong storytelling?
VS
Person 2:
Someone who is being told that they should read more books or someone who wants to look smart in public?
Person 1, right? They have a personal “why?”
Knowing your “why?” sets the foundation for your reading habit. You have a personal and concrete motive.
Without a solid “why?”, you cannot reach your goals.
Get the Goodreads App!
I cannot recommend GoodReads enough. It is a must-have app for every book reader, especially new readers. (Note: I am NOT an affiliate of Goodreads)
What is Goodreads?
Goodreads is a social media network for book-readers and authors. Imagine Facebook, but exclusively for book-lovers with awesome features.
Features:
Goodreads’ About Us:
- “See what books your friends are reading.”
- “Track the books you’re reading, have read, and want to read.”
- “Check out your personalized book recommendations. Our recommendation engine analyzes 20 billion data points to give suggestions tailored to your literary tastes.”
- “Find out if a book is a good fit for you from our community’s reviews.”
If you are an avid reader or attained your new-found love for reading, Goodreads is a must download!
The 2 Chapter Rule
You now have a genuine interest in reading more books. AWESOME! But now you’re probably thinking,
“I have no idea which book to pick up.”
Pro-reader trick:
- Browse your local bookstore.
- Look for a book with an interesting title/cover (Yes. At times, you can judge books by its cover).
- Only read 2 chapters from that book.
2 chapters are all you need when deciding if a book is worth reading or not.
Personal Development/Non-Fiction: Read the first and last chapters.
First Chapter-
The first chapter presents a good idea of what the book is about.
You get a feel of the author’s voice and the topics the author will talk about throughout the book.
Last Chapter-
The author usually wraps up with quick a synopsis on each chapter. Take note of whatever subject seems to interests you.
More often than not, the author will deliver the main message of the book as a final takeaway in the last chapter.
If the introductory and concluding thoughts of the book seem compelling, that book is worth a read or a buy!
If not, you essentially read a quick summary of the entire book in TWO chapters. Congrats!
Narrative/Fictional Books: Read the first two chapters.
The first two chapters of fictional/narrative books are enough to give you a feel on the writing style.
Also, it gives you enough information to decide if the story is compelling enough to read the rest.
If the first 2 chapters do not hook you on reading the rest of the story, it is most likely that the book is not a good fit for you.
I use the 2 Chapter rule often. It helps me filter out books that I should not waste my time with. It is a fantastic tool when deciding to start a new book.
When in doubt, use the “2 Chapter Rule!”
Have a Designated Reading Spot
This is a great conditioning tactic. Determine where you will be doing most of your reading, especially if you are a new book-reader.
With a designated area for reading, your brain will develop an association with this area.
Your Brain: “Oh, this is THE reading spot…we need to start reading a book.”
You are conditioning your brain to read when entering a specific space.
Examples of common reading spots:
- Living room
- Cafe
- Couch
- Comfy Chair
- Library
- Study room
- Personal Desk
Find a place where you can stay put in one spot.
For me, I can spend hours reading books at my local coffee shop.
Whenever I enter the coffee shop, I grab my cup of coffee and immediately start reading a book. I finished many books using this tactic.
Determine your reading spot and do most of your reading there. Your brain will be conditioned to read more in that specific area.
Create a Daily Reading Goal
It is great to have a goal for the whole year, but that is all based on what you do today.
Have a reading task you can checkmark every day.
“I want to read 5 pages from a book every day.” or “I want to read one chapter every day.”
They do not have to be big daily goals. Small ones such as these are great because you can be consistent with it.
No need to make your goals grand, “I want to read 500 pages a day!” when you haven’t read a book in the past year.
Slow down and take things small. Slow and steady wins the race.
Big or small, stay consistent. Consistency is key.
Boring Book? NEXT!
Do not force yourself to read a book that you are not getting any enjoyment or value from!
Like music, if you do not like the song…SKIP IT. The same goes for books.
No need to read a book that you find unenjoyable or is without value TO YOU.
Reading books is a personal activity. It is for you and you only.
If a book is “NEW YORK TIMES BEST-SELLER,” it does not mean you will/have to like it.
If you are 5 chapters in a 20 chapter book, and reading the book begins to feel like a chore, do yourself a favor…find a new book. Stop wasting your time.
There is a book that is a better fit for you. There is a book out there for everybody.
There is no such thing as the perfect book, but there is a book perfect for somebody.
Multi-task with Audiobooks!
“What if I do not have time to sit down and read a book, Jacob?”
Great question!
Answer: AUDIOBOOKS
With technology, you can do your reading on the go. YES, this is reading too.
As much as I prefer reading physical books, I cannot read while going grocery shopping or driving to work. With audiobooks, I can.
I can gain knowledge or hear a crazy story on the go!
Perfect times to listen to audiobooks:
- Commuting to work.
- Working out.
- Doing house chores.
- Morning runs.
- Grocery shopping.
Be productive while being productive.
Audiobooks are a great tool in helping you hit your reading goals for the year. Simply, put on your headphones and read a book anytime, anywhere.
Gone are the days of reading with your eyes. Read with your ears!
Read More than One Book at a Time
Why limit yourself to reading only one book?
Read 3 or more books at a time, it makes you a better reader!
Benefits of Reading Multiple Books:
- Variety
Having variety makes life exciting!
After reading a chapter of “Cosmos” by Carl Sagan, go read a chapter of “Game of Thrones” by George R.R. Martin. From there, go read a comic book!
Having a variety of books keeps your mind fresh for new creative ideas.
- Avoid the Burn Out
I love reading a good philosophy book as much as the next guy, but I cannot read that for 3 hours straight. However, I can read for 3 hours straight with different books!
Reading different genres of books increases reading time.
For example,
I read 3 genres of books at a time: philosophy, financial/business, and leisure.
- I am currently reading “Meditations” by Marcus Aurelius for my philosophy.
- I am currently reading “Broke Millennial Takes On Investing: A Beginner’s Guide to Leveling Up Your Money” by Erin Lowry for my finances.
- I am currently reading a manga (Japanese graphic novel) called, “Demon Slayer” by Koyoharu Gotouge for leisure.
Switching from book to book, I can put in at least 2 hours of reading a day with ease.
I do not get that “reader’s burn out” since the books are so drastically different. Every reading session is fresh.
Strengthen your reading habits by reading multiple books at a time! You clock in more reading time without getting tired of reading.
Discover Treasures in your Bookstore
Finished reading some awesome books and don’t know what is the next book you want to read?
Go to your local bookstore and spend time exploring!
The best books I ever read were ones that I happened to stumble upon at my local bookstore.
(NOTE: BEST VERSION OF WINDOW SHOPPING)
Browse around your local bookstore and read excerpts that peaks your interests. (Use the 2 chapter rule!)
The number of books that you will discover and change your life is endless. Find those gems!
You do not find a good book, a good book finds you.
I want to congratulate you on taking on the goal of reading more books!
Reading books changed my life and I am confident it will change yours too.
I hope these tips help you with reading more books this year and the years to come!
What book(s) are you currently reading? I am genuinely curious! Let me know!
and
How many books are YOU going to crush reading this year?
-Jacob A.
