How to Read More Books: 3 Easy Tips to Get Started

All book lovers raise your hands!

You’ve raised your hand, you’re officially a book lover. But there’s a small problem… you haven’t read a whole book in many months. 

“I just don’t have the time to read!” you say. 

No worries – you’re not alone and this doesn’t mean you must relinquish your book-lover status. Finding the time to read is easier than you think. Here are my top three easy tips for how to read more books.

Tip #1: Ditch the Paperback

Okay, I know what you’re thinking… That’s blasphemy! I refuse to give up my paperback!

Before you dismiss this one, hear me out. If you want to read more books, your first step is to make reading more accessible. It’s not easy to haul around a big printed book with you at all times. 

But you know what you do have with you at all times? Your phone! 

Today’s huge phone screens and top-notch eReader apps (I prefer the Kindle app) make it easier than ever to read from your phone. You can adjust the size and style of the font, change the background color to make it a little easier on your eyes, and make marks and highlights as you go along.

Reading from your phone gives you the ability to read anywhere, not only when you’re sitting on the toilet (it’s okay, we’ve all done it). And reading anywhere is the key to reading more books… which is a fabulous segue into my next tip.

Tip #2: Find the Nooks and Crannies

Reading a whole book can seem daunting. You think, “How will I ever find enough time to read all 400 pages of this book?” Or all 900 pages if you’ve selected a Stephen King… 

The answer to that question is to find time in unexpected places. You don’t have to dedicate a whole hour every day to reading. Simply read when you can. 

What does this mean? Read on your morning bus ride. Read while you’re waiting in line at the DMV or the grocery store. Read while you’re in that tiny exam room at the doctor’s office. Read while your chicken casserole bakes in the oven.

Even if you only get five minutes in at a time, that’s more reading than you would have gotten done had you mindlessly scrolled Instagram instead.

And, of course, you can always opt for an audiobook. This way you can “read” while you drive, while you clean, and while you’re mowing the lawn. 

Once you begin to examine the nooks and crannies of your life, you’ll realize there is actually lots of time to read! 

Tip #3: Choose the Right Books

If you start a book and it doesn’t grab your attention within the first thirty to fifty pages, it may not be the right book for you. And that’s okay! Cut your losses and move on to the next book. 

This may be a reading faux pas in the mind of some book snobs. But I’ve found it’s the only practical way to enjoy reading and get the most out of your reading time. There’s nothing worse than forcing yourself to power through a book that doesn’t interest you. 

You might be saying, “But Rebecca, I bought the book! I can’t just quit!” I get this argument. But there are some ways around this. 

First, utilize a library app (I use the Overdrive app) to check out books from your local library. All you need is a library card. Check with your local library to see which app they use. Hello – all the free books you can get your hands on!

Another way to workaround wasting money on books is to opt for cheap. Many Amazon books go on sale throughout the month. If you only spend $1.99 on a book, it doesn’t make it so bad when you realize halfway through that it’s not your style and you’d rather move on. 

Before you spend your cash on a book, utilize the reading sample. Most Amazon samples are at least twenty pages long which gives you ample content to decide whether or not the book is worth your money. 

How to Read More Books Like a Reading Rockstar!

There you have it – my top three tips for how to read more books. Implement these and you’ll be reading like a rockstar in no time!

Looking for more reading tips? Subscribe to my newsletter, The Queue! It’s got a little bit of everything – reading updates, writing updates, and my special tips section, Queue Tips! (See what I did there? Haha!) I hope to see YOU on the list for next month’s episode!