How to Read More

post by Michelle Griep

“If you don't have time to read, you don't have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.” 

~ Stephen King

If you spend any amount of time online you'll not only notice sales galore, but "Best Of" lists for 2015, most notably the Best Books of 2015. Everyone's got their list, from Amazon to Goodreads to pretty much every blogger on the face of the earth. There's no question that reading is good for you in so many ways: educationally, as a stress reliever, inspirationally, and as Stephen King notes it makes for a better writer.

But how can you shoehorn into your schedule more books than you're currently reading? Never fear, folks. Have I got a list for you . . .

5 Ways to Read More Books

Quit Reading

I know. Sounds counterintuitive, right? But here's the deal. If you want to read more you have to read what you love. If you start a book and it doesn't grab you, quit reading it. The more you read what you love, the more you'll read.

Schedule Time

Face it. Nobody has time to read. There's dishes to wash and laundry to fold and the back forty to plow. But if reading is important to you, schedule it. Even a simple 15-20 minutes a day will help you plow through more titles than you currently have on your docket.

Track It

Keeping a list of what you read is a big motivator. This can be as easy as jotting titles down on your calendar or something more elaborate such as Goodreads or Shelfari. Just seeing a list makes you want to add one more by the end of the year. It's like a competition with yourself.

Audiobooks Count

Commuting to and from work or going on a family vacation is a great time to pop in the ol' ear plugs and make some progress on your TBR pile. Even short spurts such as when you're mowing the lawn or going for a bike ride can rack up some pages. Audiobooks are a great way to multi-task reading with other activities.

Disconnect

Turn off the TV. Shut down the wifi. Going old school, especially right before bed, is the best way to get some reading done.

There you have it. Try one. Try all. But do try something to increase your reading even if it's simply fitting in one more book than you would have normally consumed.