Learn To Be A Better Reader
How to get more and learn more from your books
By Grace K. Bianco
I truly believe anyone can be a good reader if they have even the slightest slimmer of interest in becoming one.
Reading is one of the most important hobbies to have. Reading allows you to escape this world and go into another. It can teach you almost anything you want to learn about. It is also a way of entertainment that doesn’t “melt” your brain.
I have written a blog or two on reading before. (Linked down below.) I love reading, but I didn’t always love reading. In high school, I very rarely read for fun. When I was homeschooled, part of my homework was reading a certain number of chapters everyday from an assigned book. It honestly felt more like a chore than a hobby.
When I became a full-time nanny in 2018, I had around two and a half hours of free time every single day. The babies napped, and after I finished cleaning the house, I was allowed to do whatever I pleased (within reason of course). This is when I found the secret to becoming a great reader while also getting tons of enjoyment out of it.
Tip #1 : Don’t Read Something You Don’t Like
It can be way too easy to start a book, and then, force yourself to finish it. Honestly, this is still something I am learning not to do. If someone recommends a book and I start reading it, I feel bad if I don’t finish it.
Since the New Year, I have read four books, and I am currently finishing up my fifth. Two of the five have been a little hard to get through. I have a harder time staying focused and not daydreaming. I have to take a lot of breaks during the day instead of just sitting and getting lost in my book.
This can make reading feel way more like a chore than a hobby. So, don’t do what I am learning not to do. When I read something I enjoy, I can read super fast, and I forget all of life’s challenges and worries.
I watched a YouTube video a couple of days ago on Sophia Kleo’s channel, and she also loves reading. Her rule of thumb is read two chapters, and if it still isn’t good, just put away and start a new one.
If the two chapters are like 4 pages long each, try reading a little bit more. Some books do need a chance to get going, but don’t torture yourself to get to that point.
Tip #2 : Switch up the Genres
Okay, this tip kind of helps with the tip up above.
I love nonfiction. I will read through a Christian self-help book like my life depends on it. (In a way, it kind of does.) When I read “The Power of Praying Life” — Stormie Omartian, I told my husband at least five times how much I loved it. It is now on my nightstand for me to refer back to.
I read lots of books on Christian marriage and books based on Bible stories. I really enjoy learning about God in that way outside of just reading from the Bible.
There are some nonfiction books that just speak right to me. I feel like the author knows exactly what is going on in my life and wrote the book based off of it.
However, if you read a lot of self-help type of books, they will start to blend together. It can even start to feel repetitive at times. This is when you need to throw a fiction book (or a completely different genre of nonfiction) into your reading.
If you prefer fiction, throw a nonfiction book in. It is always good to read an informative book. Either way, it is good to be entertained, and it is good to learn. I force myself to read books that I feel could teach me something, and then, I reward myself with an easy read (usually fiction).
Tip #3 : Schedule Your Reading
Alright, this tip is totally based off of your personality.
For me, scheduling isn’t about what time of day or what day to read. It is more about how much I need to read in order to finish a book in a week.
That’s right. I read a whole book pretty much every single week.
I study the book beforehand. Is it an easy read? How many pages? Are the chapters long? How big is the font? Is this a book to learn or a book for fun?
Then, I decide whether to give myself (usually) three, four, or five days to finish it. On busier weeks, it’s usually five days. Most of the time, I can finish it in four. Then, I take the page number and divide by how many days I am giving myself.
I use two bookmarks. One for where I currently am in the book and one for where I need to be by the end of the day. This method has really motivated me to finish my daily readings. I love reaching goals and checking it off of my list. (I also have a similar method for Bible reading that I printed off of Pinterest.)
You may have to take it a step further and block off an exact time for when you can read. I have no set in stone schedule ever; therefore, I just read when I can.
The End
I truly believe anyone can be a good reader if they have even the slightest slimmer of interest in becoming one. Once you find authors and genres you like, it just continues to go uphill.
It is also so fun when people recommend books that they think you’ll like. Since I read a book a week, I happily borrow books or buy books people recommend. Someone recommended me a book here on Medium, and I immediately added it to my book wishlist. As I gain more readers, I would LOVE to have a long list of recommendations from people on Medium.
If you have any book recommendations or want to share your favorite book, PLEASE comment down below.
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Previous blogs written about reading:
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