How To Cultivate A Love of Reading As An Adult
For as long as I can remember, books have been a huge part of my life. A large portion of my childhood was spent with a book in my hand, always taking one with me wherever I went. I thrived in crushing my AR goals for school and getting my homework done quickly so I could spend the rest of class time reading.
Over the years, I have cultivated a love of reading and even went on to pursue a degree in Writing with a concentration in Literature. When I started college, I dove head first into socializing and making memories with all my new friends. As classes ramped up, I had less and less time to read for fun. I would read the required readings for my English classes and couldn’t find time for anything more.
When the pandemic hit in 2020 and the world shut down for a period, I was sent home from college and was told I would finish the semester online. I was feeling scared about the state of the world and I turned to the one thing that always brought me comfort: books.
I made a decision that I wanted to reclaim my love of reading. As I started prioritizing it again, I felt immense joy and far less stress. I remembered why I wanted to be a writer again. I found enjoyment in sharing books I was reading on my social media profiles.
I get messages all the time from people telling me they want to get into reading more but they are busy or can’t seem to find the right kind of books to enjoy. I wanted to write this blog to share some tips that have helped me cultivate consistency with reading.
Here are a few tips to help you get started:
Designate time for reading: Seems easy enough, right? The key is to aside a specific time each day for reading, even if it's just for 15-20 minutes. Make it a ritual that you look forward to and create consistency. I always encourage my friends to try reading one chapter when they first wake up or even reading one right before bed. If you can do this every day, you will fly through many books and even find yourself looking forward to this designated time!
Choose books that interest you: It’s easy to get on TikTok and scroll through the latest #BookTok stories that are super popular right now. You’re being influenced to read writers such as Colleen Hoover or Tessa Bailey. My best advice is don't worry about what's popular or trendy, just pick books that you're genuinely interested in reading. There are SO MANY genres of books out there to dive into, from young adult to classic novels, to biographies, to non-fiction, or even comic books. When I was a college student, we read a lot of classics, and while it was cool to learn about the most famous authors to ever walk the earth, they were not my favorite. I love contemporary books such as young adult, romance, mysteries, and thrillers. When I’m choosing books, I lean into my interests and find it way more enjoyable than forcing myself to read something because it’s “trendy.”
Join a book club: This is a fun way to grow a love of reading! Find a book club in your local area or join an online book club to connect with fellow book lovers. This can be a great way to discuss all things books, share your thoughts about what you liked or didn’t like about a book, and get book recommendations. Before the pandemic, I joined a book club at Barnes & Noble. We met monthly for an hour and there were usually only 5-7 of us who would show up, but it was the best time. I was the youngest one in the group and we always had the best discussions on each book we were able to read. Our group hasn’t met since March of 2020 and I miss it all the time. Find a couple of friends and start a group together! Use stories as a way to build community and friendship!
Try Audiobooks: If you're struggling to get into reading, try Audiobooks! I never would have imagined I could get into them, but when I worked my summer job during college, I needed a way to pass the time. I leaned heavily into listening to stories while I did tasks. Even with where I am currently in life, sometimes it’s difficult to sit down with a physical copy and read it. I listen to Audiobooks when I’m in the car for long periods of time, or if I’m doing stuff around the house such as laundry or dishes. My favorite app for Audiobooks is called Libby. What makes the app so great is you can enter your library card information and browse collections of Audiobooks and Ebooks that are available for you to check out through your local library. I’ve listened to countless stories or read books directly from my phone for FREE.
Create a Goodreads account: I couldn’t recommend Goodreads enough. It is a wonderful website to keep track of the books you’ve read or want to read. Each year, it will ask you to set a goal for yourself on how many books you would like to read. As you track each book, it lets you know how close you are to your goal and if you’re getting ahead or behind on achieving the goal. Last year, I set a goal for 50 books, and was able to achieve that goal by keeping track of each book on Goodreads. This year, I’m hoping to read 55 books. You can also add your friends and cheer them on as they try to hit their goal as well. I feel so encouraged being able to see what my friends are reading and it helps me to stay active in reading. Let’s be friends on Goodreads, add me here!
My hope for you is that by following these tips, you'll be able to develop a deep love of reading that can bring you joy and less stress. Reading can be a wonderful escape away from reality and a way to enhance creativity and better your mental health. My inbox is always open to discuss all things relating to book recommendations and how to create good reading habits!