i've been trying 2 get back in2 reading actual books for the longest time, but it's kinda hard to make it "stick," if that makes sense. this is especially problematic for me as an english major because i need to actually read books to improve as a writer. i used to really like reading, too, so it sucks that it has been feeling like a chore to do for the longest time now (_ _|||) i just really wanna be able to get back into it and stop feeling like i've been stagnating, and there's a lot of books i've been meaning to read for a long time. does any1 have any tips for how to get myself back into reading actual books???
"Even if the two of us are ever torn apart, I swear that I will change the world."
Hi, I read roughly up to 80-100+ novels/literary mediums per year, largely full length novels by average.
I think given how you described things, there's a few productive approaches to re-ingesting prose and the like on a more regular basis.
Audiobooks are a good way to approach the idleness side of things (during a work shift, driving in the car, taking a walk), especially since it doesn't limit you to what your hands and eyes have to occupy. There's actually quite a lot of studies showing that with the proper attention to it, audiobooks stimulate the brain in a near identical way to actually reading. Give or take.
RE-READING!! This is can be pretty huge. What made you fall in love with it to begin with? Give an old favorite a dusting, read it over, you'll like feel that resurgence for words on a page.
Other mediums. Western comics? Manga? Graphic Novels? Light novels? Novella? Anthologies? Take a look at exploring what else the pen on paper has to offer, all of these things are really strong varieties to the literary medium, and EXCELLENT catalysts for storytelling.
For me, on the occasions that I do have a break from my ritual reading habits because life and emotion, I often will spend time finding the right series or title to siren me back into the literal need for it based on what my current circumstances are or what the heart is throbbing for. This is what reading is for. It's the very essence of human expression; Thus, if it's something you are feeling, then it's likely something someone else has felt before, and found a method to immortalize that expression on page, and that is a beautiful thing worth exploring. Ask your friends for recommendations! Book clubs? Find a community for it?
Think of what might bridge you into finding the right materials for your specific tastes! Perhaps you don't like something you tried reading, that's okay, because it will help refine your taste into finding what you DO like best.
A HUGE part of this is also habit building, try to develop a more day to day or few days a week space where that itch to read has a way to be satisfied...you've got the want for it, so think about what kind of ways you could more regularly expose your brain to that sense of intellectual stimulation, doesn't even have to start with books. The recognition of what other parts of your life already exhibit this habitual function will likely be the process to adding something new into your baseline.
HOPE THIS HELPS!! I would be absolutely happy to give you a recommendation, and can pretty much guarantee I'd suggest some(s) things that would work as a re-introduction point!
@BANNED i always saw people who read ~100 books a year as superhumans. how do you manage? where do you find the time? do you have time for other things?
i notice a lot of people say DNF-ing books has a lot to do with it. I'm curious as to what you think
@river!! Actually this averages out to about 3-5 hours or so per week of reading. I consume literature essentially everyday, and the time spent doing so varies greatly. It's entirely manageable.
Think about how often you might use your smart phone for idle time throughout a week, then consider what that time spent might equate to,— should you have a means to measure it (I imagine there are apps and stuff for this). Then try to actively consider how you could replace some of that time reading!
Can be tracked and managed like any habit!
@BANNED SUPER HELPFUL REPLY!!! tysm for the response!! these actually seem like really great tips for getting back into reading, i'll definitely need to try them out and see what works, as well as think about other ways i could receive that similar stimulation like you said. i can't believe i've not thought about getting into audiobooks or even re-reading books i've already read before lol, they seem like really obvious things to try in hindsight. but i will try them out!! ty again!!
re-introductory recommendations would be greatly appreciated!!! i really need to fish out my old reading list sometime and get to the more challenging books i've been meaning to read for a while, so having recommendations to ease me back into reading would be super helpful.
also wow, 80-100+ novels a year Σ(°_°) that's seriously impressive LOL.
"Even if the two of us are ever torn apart, I swear that I will change the world."
@SARUGETCHU3 Nahhh, you said this like an "eventually" kind of thing. Reply to this with a book you actually remember enjoying, at any reading level. I will tell you where to start again.
@BANNED truetrue! guess i shouldn't be too hasty lol. last books i remember reading fully that i really liked were "brother" by david chariandy, "they both die at the end" by adam silvera, and "kitchen" by banana yoshimoto.
"Even if the two of us are ever torn apart, I swear that I will change the world."
@SARUGETCHU3 INCOMING!!!
So, I have a few things I think you would like...
For a novel and or audiobook, The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, and her other flagship work Circe. I really loved both, and read Achilles first. The audiobooks are excellent as well, I did both mediums. Miller was a classical study, so these are extremely well done modern reinterpretations of their mythological counterparts.
If you like manga, you would probably adore The Summer Hikaru Died.
@BANNED oh the song of achilles!! i've heard a lot of good things about it from some of my friends, so it does seem like a good reading to start. i've not heard of circe though! will check that out as well.
funny you mention the summer hikaru died, that's actually one of my fave mangas! i do need to catch up with it though lol.
TYVM!!!!!
"Even if the two of us are ever torn apart, I swear that I will change the world."
@SARUGETCHU3 GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!
Worship Me -- I am dead
Something that really helped me get back into reading was finding an author I really liked and reading/listening to all their novels. Riley Sager actually did this for me. I am now obsessed with thriller-esque novels and read or listen to whatever Libby is recommending after finishing that novel.
My favourites by him are The Middle of the Night, Lock Every Door, The Last Time I Lied and his newest one The Unknown (I am on page 300, I can't put it down).☺
@kaylvang 𓍢ִ໋❀ ooh, good point!! i've never really had a favourite author or dedicated time to going through an author's catalogue, so finding one i really like would likely be helpful. i've never heard of riley sager, so i'll definitely need to check him out! ty for the reply :D
"Even if the two of us are ever torn apart, I swear that I will change the world."
@kaylvang 𓍢ִ໋❀ Ever read "The Monkey's Paw"?
I actually haven't! I just checked and my library has a copy! I will give a try once I am done my current novel. Thank you!!
@kaylvang 𓍢ִ໋❀ It slaps imo, lmk what u think if u get to it. Genuine classic when it comes to horror, quick read too.
Read something fun that you enjoy. Don't worry about things like what you think you should be reading. If you like something like harry potter or whatever go read that. Like anything it takes a bit to form habits. If you force yourself to read things you don't care about you'll never want to keep reading.
@KratosPS this is true! most of the things i've been trying to read ARE things i want to read, and are things interesting to me, but bringing myself to get back into reading books has just been kinda hard in general. but i agree that i should probably try rereading books i really like first, since it'd be more fun to me and help me form the habit. thx for the reply!
"Even if the two of us are ever torn apart, I swear that I will change the world."
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