How Can I Read More Books ? by Ines

     ''How can I read more books?'' Is a question that book lovers keep constantly asking themselves. Especially if one has a record of unfinished book challenges 😢

Do not worry, I am here for you. And, I have 8 amazing tips that would make you read more books than you've ever had.

The tips that I will be listing down below will 100% work. I am not going to say I tried some of them, because I did not. I MADE THOSE TIPS; I worked by them even when I did not know I was doing so. So, before they became a list of simple pieces of advice on a blog post; they were the result of a successful reading challenge finished in half the time it was supposed to take.

Not to brag or anything (maybe just a little 😜), I went from 0 books per year ( since I can't remember till 2014) to 30 books in 6 months this year!! I know, I am surprised too; I was supposed to read that number in 12 months.

So, here is what I did, and what you can also do:

    1.   Surround yourself with books :

Try to make a little place on your shelves for books (buy one that seems interesting from time to another -even if you know you won't be reading it instantly- and put it on your shelf. Before you'll know it, books will take over all of your shelves) so when you're in your room doing nothing but staring at walls, a book might grab your attention. Just bring it and start reading, and no one will see you or hear from you during the 10 hours that follow.

Paperbacks might be too expensive, or you might not find the ones you want (believe me I know the struggle). Surrounding yourself with books can be done in an ELECTRONIC way: DOWNLOAD BOOKS and make a huge library on your phone/tablet (you'll know why and how -to find nice books- later, just keep reading).

   2.   Surround yourself with people who love to read :

Join book clubs at your school or local library (if possible), and keep in touch with them on social media. Someone will always post about a book that might become your next favourite book of all times.

Meeting people and book lovers does not have to always be in real life; it can also be on social media.

Facebook: Subscribe to pages about books, follow or add accounts that constantly post about books (whose owner is an active member in the book community).

Instagram: Follow bookstagrams (Instagram accounts that post pictures of books and write short reviews about them).THEY ARE AMAZING!

Youtube: Subscribe to booktubes (channels about books), you will never miss any news about the latest books and movies adaptations.

Social media helped me a lot; every time I see or read about a nice book, I download it right away and keep it in my iPad's library (the answer to the how, tip #1). I NEVER KNOW WHEN I'LL NEED TO READ IT.

PS: Do not say, I will download it later, because you'll either forget about the title and it is never easy to find a post on social media when your 999 followers are are posting 87 post per minute. Or, you just be like: books are going no where, I'll find another book to download later<= this is why you'll never have a bookworm's electronic library, and you'll never find what to read when you want to read.

    3.  Join book challenges :

I know that my post seems to be about "how to finish your book challenge", since I have already talked a bit about that in the introduction, but I have to explain this to readers who have never joined one, and give a few pieces of advice to those who already have.

Book challenge: is the a number of books that you have to read in a specific period of time.

You can set your book challenge just by mentally telling yourself: okay, lazy-ass, you have to read 12 books in the next 4 months. And you need to start this afternoon... Aaah maybe tomorrow, this afternoon you have to go get that bag you saw last week in the boutique.

The next time you'll remember your challenge is when you need a new bag.

So, my favourite website/app to keep on track with my reading challenge is GOODREADS: you set up your challenge at the beginning of the year, and it will constantly tell you if you're ahead or behind, and how many books you need to read to get back on track if you're behind.

You can also join groups on Facebook in which the members put a number of books to be read in a period of time. What is great about these kind of groups is that everyone finishes a book in a different day, as a result; readers (helps with tip #2) will post about some book every day ,and that will help you to find new books to download (help with tip #1), and will remind you all the time that you have a challenge to accomplish.

But, before you join these kind of  groups make sure to:

-Never do the math of: I have to read 24 books in 12 months, that would make 2 books each month. And then you'll be having exams in December, reading slumps in November and February, trips during spring, family to visit sometimes during summer... (As busy as a business woman/man) and when you miss a couple of months you'll be like: this is impossible, I will never be able to finish this freaking challenge, I QUIT.

But, reading depends on the mood: you can read 0 book this month and 10 next month. That is why  I am telling you not to do the math, and not to force yourself to read.

- Choose a group with a good period of time for their challenge: just like for the problem of math, if the period of the challenge is very short, you might not be able to make up for those times when you have not read much. That would make you feel frustrated and you'll never join a challenge again. Try to find a challenge that goes for 6 or 8 months at least, because during that period you will have some breaks and holidays in which you can do some catch up on your reading.

    4.  Read books that will soon be turned into movies :

Scrolling through Facebook the other day, I have seen a picture saying:" How to know if a person has read the book before seeing the movie? They will tell you, they will fucking tell you"

I laughed so hard, of course I'll tell you if I read the book. Why? To scare the shit out of you and pretend that I will spoil what is happening in the next scene.

Adding to your TBR books that are going to be turned into movies is a great way to read more, especially if the lead is going to be one of your favourite actresses or actors. This way, you can review both the movie and the book later. And, you can have fun looking at your friends' faces while you pretend you're about to spoil the whole movie.

    5.  Link reading with another activity that you like to do :

Since I am majoring in English, I obviously read to learn more vocabulary and write better. But, I never enjoy a book if it is a homework. School always ruins all the fun.

So, as a motive to read and learn more, I decided to mix between reading and facebooking (the act of doing nothing all day but scrolling through a home page full of posts that make people argue if a dress is blue or golden. C'mon it was freaking black and white!)

That is how I created Algerian Book Readers (along with some awesome admins who became my favourite online friends) to find more readers in my country, we exchange pieces of writing and suggest books to each other... (Helps with tip #1 and #2)

Blogging is also a good and fun activity to do, but write about what? Write about books you read. People reacting to your posts is a great way to stay motivated, and you'll want to read more books so that you can blog more ,that's how you become a faster reader and a better writer.

If you're a fan of twitter, Instagram, Tumbler or YouTube; you can create an account/blog/channel with the theme of reading and books. (It will help a lot with tips #1 and#2)

    6.   Never leave the house without a book :

Even if you have a busy day and you do not think you'll have time to read, take a book or your e-reader with you whenever you're going to school. Maybe some teacher will be absent and you'll have some free time to read, maybe you'll see someone annoying getting on the same bus as you so you'll grab your book and pretend to read (believe me, you won't be pretending for a long time. You'll even wish the road was longer so that you could read another chapter).

   7.   Do not give up on reading because of a bad book or two:

There are times when you're like: have all good books disappeared from planet earth?   

Just give the book you're reading a chance, some books just do not have a very good start. but, if you really don't like it after four or five chapters then you do not have to force yourself to read it. Just start with another book.

   8.  Try to surf less on the NET :

I have noticed that when my network subscription ends and I do not pay it right away, I tend to read A LOT MORE during those few NET-free days.

So, if you do not really need a network connection for school or work, do not pay it.Take some rest from social media and read. It is super fun, I promise.
At the end, I must tell you that how much you learn from what you read is way more important than how many books you read. Make good book choices ( for example: Kim Kardashian's book is not really a book that needs to be on your list 😛).

If you have any good tips to share with me, I will be more than happy to read them. Comment below.

If you're looking for reading partners you can always leave the link to one of your social media accounts, also down below.

If you have a blog, bookstagram, booktube... Leave the link to it in a comment, and if you want help to start one, just ask for it.

Make sure to share this post with your friends, if you liked it (I know, I know. A lot of ifs, but I am done, I swear 😆).

                                                                                                          X😘X😘  -Ines