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Before, I absolutely hated reading. I would never read books for English lessons. The thought of someone reading for pleasure baffled me. How could someone consider something so boring a fun activity? I never understood when people “read for fun”. Although I must admit that I loved the aesthetic of the reading. The idea of curling up by the fire or lying on the beach reading a book intrigued me.
So, during quarantine, I decided to give reading a try. I ordered two Christmas books (because my interest in reading arose around December). It took me about two weeks to read my first book, Kiss me in New York. This book was your YA classic, easy to read. In all honesty, I didn’t really like it. It was boring and cliché. However, when I finished the book, I felt a sense of accomplishment. Even though it could have been an easy 200 page book that took me an embarrassing time to finish, I did. I read a book for fun.
This feeling of gratification led me to read my second book: Christmas in London. This book was a little harder, a little longer, but much better than the previous book. I started getting up early before school to read my book and staying up late to read. Soon I realized – I actually As read.
After finishing my second book in three days, I kept reading. I dabbled in each genre and explored my reading preferences. I would finish some books in less than two days, and others in over two weeks. However, one thing remained constant: I enjoyed reading. Despite boring books here and there, I still found myself excited to read every day.
So, by teaching me to love reading, I’ve put together some tips to help you become a reader. Here they are:
1. Don’t give up after the first book
If I had given up reading after my first book, I would never have become the reader I am today. It’s important to understand that you won’t like every book you read. Some will bore you, while others will excite you and rekindle your passion for reading with every turn of the page. If you don’t like the first book you read, try another genre, another author, or another difficulty level.
2. Find other readers to connect with
Finding other avid readers is extremely helpful for finding recommendations or brainstorming ideas with them. You can scroll #booktok on TikTok or use apps like GoodReads to not only track your reading, but to connect with other readers around the world.
3. Track your progress
I cannot stress this enough. If you follow the books you read, you will definitely feel a greater sense of accomplishment after each book. Also, logging the books you read can help you notice patterns. For example, after going through my “list of books”, I realized that I normally give fantasy books a low rating. So, I tend to avoid fantasy books because I know I probably won’t like them.
4. Create a routine
Choose a time each day that you will read. Whether it’s early in the morning, at lunch, or before bed, establishing a routine is extremely beneficial. Plus, choosing a dedicated reading space with a relaxing atmosphere can make reading much more fun. It can be hard to find the motivation to read the first few days, but soon enough you’ll be excited about your daily reading time.
My favorite books
After reading many books, some good and some bad, I feel I have a good repertoire of books to recommend to non-readers! If you are looking for a mysterious book, one of us is lying by Karen M. McManus will certainly intrigue you. If you are looking for a romance, I recommend you Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch. If you are interested in fantasy, I recommend shadow and bone by Leigh Bardugo. And finally, my favorite book of all time, which I recommend to everyone, is Where the Crawdads sing by Delia Owens.
Overall, remember that reading should be fun. Don’t force yourself to read complicated books, focus on reading books you really enjoy.