In this age of digitization, the lost art of reading still exists. Books vendors and book shops still exist. If there is something that is missing it’s the readers. On the bright side, people who still read are the loyal ones. They are the ones in whom this art thrives and flows to the next generations. Every year, every day, people make the goal to start reading but they struggle to develop the habit. If you are someone who wants to become a reader, here are some tips you will find helpful.
Start Small
Rome wasn’t built in a day and just like that you can not pick up the habit of reading in a day. As they say, all the good things in life take time. So, pick a book, any book which appeals to you the most, and read just a page of it or read for 5-10 minutes before bedtime. If it’s an interesting read, it will keep you engaged for more than 10 minutes and you will have vivid dreams. But, if you don’t find it interesting, most probably you will fall asleep. Either way, it’s a win-win situation.
The goal is to not make the start challenging. Start easy, eventually, you will start challenging yourself to read more and more every day. One more page, just one more.
Genre
You need to find what you are. If you ever picked up a book and found it boring, chances are you picked up the wrong genre. The book might have been a great one but it was just not the one for you. Everyone who is an avid reader today once stumbled upon a book of just the right genre for them and then the book compelled them to develop the habit of reading.
Therefore, you need to look for different genres just like you browse movies and TV series catalogs to find the one for you. There is no need to feel bad if a genre doesn’t work for you. Everyone has their preferences just like their taste palate.
Bookmarks and papers
Keep a piece of paper inside your book or a notebook while reading. What you can do is to create an index for words and phrases you like. It will help you improve your vocabulary and writing skills too.
Build your little library
First of all, say no to piracy, try to buy original books. If you appreciate the art, support the artist too. Don’t steal from people you love. If you can spend thousands on phones and outfits you can also save up to buy a book if you want to.
If you cannot afford books, purchase an online subscription. There are plenty of options available for less than a thousand rupees per month and you can read any book from their unlimited catalogs.
Keep your books close
Always carry a book with yourself wherever you go. If you have a book with you all the time, chances are whenever you will feel bored, stuck in traffic you will be tempted to pick up the book and continue with your read. Contrary to it, if your books are not close to you, you will find it hard to pick a book and start reading.
Give yourself choices
For starters, it may seem impossible but it can be of great help. Read multiple books at the same time. What you will accomplish by reading multiple books simultaneously is when you want to pick a book to read, you will have the choice to read depending on your mood. Trust me it will be magical. So do give it a try.
Be gentle with yourself
You’re answerable to nobody for what you read. Read what you want to read. You are not accountable for the number of books you have found distasteful or left unread. There were just not for you. You read to please nobody but yourself.
At least once in your life, you must have been told to be friends with good people so you can be good too. Maybe you have good friends, maybe you don’t. But, if you start reading good books, you will find good friends with them. I can guarantee you. A book is the crux of a writer’s thoughts, feelings, and beliefs. You can learn a lot from books, you will find characters you relate to, you will find characters you find comfort in. It will all be worth it. Reading isn’t just a hobby, it is a lifestyle. The question is whether you want to adopt it or not.
Written By: Aneeq Majid
