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Are you looking to elevate your reading goals? Committing to read more is a commendable and inspiring objective, and it’s entirely attainable with just a few minor tweaks to your daily routine. We’ve compiled a variety of tips and strategies to help you read more frequently, enabling you to dive into your books with greater efficiency.

1

Create a manageable reading goal.

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6

Stop reading a book if you don’t like it.

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  1. It’s tough to quit a book cold turkey; you feel like you’re somehow letting yourself down by stopping instead of seeing it all the way through. This couldn’t be further from the truth, though—your time is valuable, so it’s important to only spend time reading books that you genuinely enjoy. Plus, it’s easy to get burned out if you force yourself to read something you don’t like.[6]
    • Give yourself a chapter or so before making a decision. Some really great books can start off slow in the beginning.
7

Choose books that fit your interests.

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  1. Plenty of people assume that “reading more” means “reading more classics,” but that just isn’t the case. Classic literature isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, and it’s totally fine if you stick to a different class of books. Besides, you’ll enjoy a book more if it covers a topic that you really like.[7]
    • Don’t force yourself to read non-fiction books if you have a passion for fantasy and science-fiction.
    • Don’t sit through a light, comedic novel if you’d rather dive into a gripping thriller.
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9

Take part in a book club.

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  1. In a book club, everyone reads the same book at about the same pace. This gives you a great opportunity to really dive into the book and come up with your own thoughts and opinions. Getting to share these thoughts and opinions can really get you going and motivate you to keep reading.[9]
    • Visit your local library and see if there are any book clubs or groups going on. You can also check sites like “Meetup” to see if there are any independent book clubs in your area.
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17

Invest in ebooks.

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  1. E-readers and ebooks might be the answer you’re looking for. E-readers can store tons of books in a small space, and give you access to lots of titles just about anywhere you are.[16]
    • Sites like Project Gutenberg have lots of free ebooks available. You can also download your favorite fan fictions to your e-reader or mobile device from a collaborative writing site like Archive of Our Own (AO3).
    • You can get a good quality e-reader for less than $100.
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21

Look for recommendations.

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  1. Maybe your friend is gushing about a novel she just finished, or your co-worker is raving about a thriller that they just can’t put down. Recommendations not only give you new material to read, but they also help you look forward to seeing what all the hype is about.[19]
    • Best of all, you can ask just about anyone for a book recommendation, whether it’s a friend, family member, co-worker, or a random stranger you pass in the bookstore.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    How can I motivate myself to read if I don't enjoy it?
    Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed.
    Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed.
    Educational Consultant
    Alexander Ruiz is an Educational Consultant and the Educational Director of Link Educational Institute, a tutoring business based in Claremont, California that provides customizable educational plans, subject and test prep tutoring, and college application consulting. With over a decade and a half of experience in the education industry, Alexander coaches students to increase their self-awareness and emotional intelligence while achieving skills and the goal of achieving skills and higher education. He holds a BA in Psychology from Florida International University and an MA in Education from Georgia Southern University.
    Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed.
    Educational Consultant
    Expert Answer
    I recommend listening to audio books. Start with an audiobook, and from there, add on reading the actual book to follow along. Eventually, you will hopefully be able to enjoy the actual book on its own. Remember that most libraries offer free access to audiobooks as well.
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  • Some people “skim” in order to read faster, but this technique applies more to academic/techincal texts than fun reading.[20]


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About This Article

Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed.
Co-authored by:
Educational Consultant
This article was co-authored by Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed. and by wikiHow staff writer, Janice Tieperman. Alexander Ruiz is an Educational Consultant and the Educational Director of Link Educational Institute, a tutoring business based in Claremont, California that provides customizable educational plans, subject and test prep tutoring, and college application consulting. With over a decade and a half of experience in the education industry, Alexander coaches students to increase their self-awareness and emotional intelligence while achieving skills and the goal of achieving skills and higher education. He holds a BA in Psychology from Florida International University and an MA in Education from Georgia Southern University. This article has been viewed 148,277 times.
32 votes - 83%
Co-authors: 31
Updated: December 5, 2024
Views: 148,277
Article SummaryX

To read more, make a list of books you want to read, hang it up somewhere you'll see it a lot, and cross books off as you go to motivate yourself. You can also decide on a date you want to finish them all by and come up with a reward you'll get if you read them on time. If you're struggling to find time to read, try reading before bed, at breakfast or lunch, or during your breaks. Just make sure you're doing it every day so it becomes a habit. For more suggestions from our Counselor co-author, like how to find good books to read, scroll down!

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