5 Tips to Get Back into Reading

When I started Read & Wright, it was because I wanted to have a place to talk about books. My friends and family had been telling me for years to start it because I always had my nose in a book. Surely there must be more people out there like me! But even after I found a community of readers, I still get questions every day asking, “How do you read so much?”

It’s very easy to say that it’s a priority for me and it is. Reading is my version of self care. It means I’m off my phone and not scrolling endlessly. It also means I’m caring for my creative side because I love stories and storytelling. Reading has always been a part of my life and I’m better for it. But that’s not the case for everyone.

As I’ve built this little corner of the Internet, I’ve changed my mission a little. I want others to know that reading isn’t an elitist hobby. It should be available and accessible for everyone. But with so many options out there to entertain ourselves daily, how do we make reading be the option we choose?

Here are my Five Tips to Get Back Into Reading

1. Re-Read a book You Loved

   Any book. Whether it was a childhood favorite, the last book you read on vacation, or a book you read in school you remember vividly, pick it up again. Since you know the story, you won’t feel pressure to read between the lines. It will remind you of the happy feelings you had reading it the first time and you may take away something new from it.

2. Read a Book that was Adapted Into a Movie/TV Show

   A personal favorite of mine is To All the Boys I Loved Before by Jenny Han. If you’ve seen the movie or TV show, much like Tip 1, you’ll be familiar with the story. But the thing that will keep you engaged is finding the differences between the two and which you prefered.

3. Take a Recommendation from an Author You’ve Enjoyed

   If you have an author you reach for when you choose a vacation read, or even just an author you read once a year, go to their social media and see what they recommend. Generally, authors gravitate toward books that remind them of their own or are the complete opposite and still hold their attention. I always get asked for recommendations for books like Elin Hilderbrand’s. She is very active on social media and recommends a lot of books similar in style to her writing.

4. Schedule Yourself to Read for 10 Minutes Every Night before Bed

   Replace the 10 minutes of scrolling on your phone with 10 minutes of reading. That’s it, just 10 measly minutes. Eventually, this will become a habit and you’ll sleep better without the blue light. And hopefully, you’ll find a book you love and want to read past 10 minutes, so you can start earlier in the evening! I highly recommend the Kindle Paperwhite for nighttime reading.

5. Peruse the Bookstore or Library

   I’m always shocked when I see people online be like “Remember when bookstores were a thing?” Because they are MY THING! Go to Barnes and Noble or the library and peruse without a plan. Read the back of books or judge them by their cover. Pick up the latest celebrity memoir or juicy beach read they mentioned on the news. Pick something, even if you think it isn’t high brow literary fiction you’d be proud to tell your boss about. All reading, from middle grade to YA to smutty Romance and graphic novels is VALID.

   Let me know if any of these tips help you out!