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Tips for those who don't like reading.


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I can already hear you saying to yourself "Why would you be giving these tips here? This is a forum for avid book readers". Well, yes that is true, however, if there is anyone else in the country like myself, I used to come to sites like these to try and motivate myself to read more but in reality I ended up closing the site with less motivation than when I first came here.

 

I realise that sounds kind of backwards, but when you've struggled to read an entire book since secondary school and just really don't like reading, seeing posts about people reading a book or more a week really demotivates you. 

 

So, with that in mind, I've come up with some tips that really helped me go from reading 1 full book in about 8 years, to reading roughly a book every 2-3 weeks.

 

*Disclaimer - just because this worked for me, I can't promise the same results. But it is certainly something to try*

 

 

1. Buy a Kindle / Use iBooks etc.

 

I say this for two reasons. The first is because of my addiction to screens/technology. I work with computers, I play video games, I code - everything about my day revolved around computers so reading a physical copy of a book was difficult for me. Reading on a screen seemed to trick my mind into releasing the usual dopamine dose I was used to. 

 

Secondaly, if I only had time to read 10/15 pages, it looked like I hadn't read very much which demotivated me. By reading on a screen, you work your way through more pages (though they are more pages in total) but it felt like I was achieving more than a physical copy.

 

 

2. Pick a book / book series that was made into a movie / TV series which you enjoyed.

 

The first book I read in it's entirety since secondary school was Harry Potter and Philosphers Stone. I already knew the story, I knew I already liked the story, so it was actually quite fun delving deeper into the story without having to put my entire concentration into the story line. This is a good way to get started because you already have that connection with the story and the characters.

 

 

3. Combine reading with another activity you do on a daily basis.

 

This is something almost everyone does every morning - you walk to the kitchen, you make a brew, you sit down and drink it for a few minutes. Well, whilst you're doing this grab your book and read a few pages. This is a good tip for a few reasons; firstly, you're mixing reading with something that you enjoy - you get that dose of dopamine and it helps you start to love reading. Secondaly, consistancy is key. By including reading in your daily routine you're less likely to forget and give up.

 

 

4. Don't set yourself long term goals.

 

It's quite common for avid readers to set themseleves long term goals. Maybe they'll want to read 100 books in a year, 50 books, 150 books - if you're just starting out this is a bad idea! Set yourself realistic, short term goals. For example, "I want to finish this book". You don't neccesarily have to put a date on it, just aim to finish it. Depnding on how much time you have avaliable to read and also your reading speed, you can then start to set goals like "I want to read 1 book every 6 weeks". These are doable and achieveing goals will help you along your journey.

 

 

5. Pick a genre you would usually watch on TV / at the movies.

 

When you start to move on to new books and new story lines, if you usually like watching war films, read a book based on war/conflict. If you usually like watching fantasy movies, try a fantasy novel or novel series. I know this sounds simple, but a lot of people just pick a book that's popular, or they'll google "good books to read" rather than picking a book from a genre they know they enjoy.

 

 

 

6. Don't be discouraged if you don't like a book. Just pick another one.

 

I don't think there is anyone who could confidently say "I have liked every book I have ever read". There will be some books or authors that you just don't like - and that's OK! Try and give every book a go through - don't give up after a few pages, try and get a few chapters in and if you really don't like it, try something else. You'll eventually find an author / series that you'll enjoy. Try not to dismiss book after book, after book through.

 

 

 

These are just a few tips that helped me, I'm sure there are other ways to help you on your reading journey and perhaps some other people on here cold give some tips of their own :)

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  • 6 months later...

One per day!  Where do they find the time, unless they don't work or do much else!  I'm lucky to manage one a week.

 

The tips are interesting but I think you're probably preaching to the converted here!  But some good ideas, especially if someone gets into a reading slump.

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