By Zoë Kane
Hi! I have been an avid reader since I was in the 4th grade and I thought it would be cool to give some tips to anyone who is interested in reading more. Reading has a lot of benefits such as improving concentration skills, reducing stress and it can be really fun! In this article, some easy tips will be discussed on how to not only improve your reading skills, but to also become an avid reader.
Tip 1:
Find a Genre that Interests You
When I was younger, I hated reading and my parents actually used it as a form of punishment because I despised it so much. However, once I found a genre that interested me, I couldn’t get my nose out of a book. Finding a genre that suits you can be time consuming and seem pointless, but if you are truly motivated to read more, that’s the place to start. Books range from different genres and tropes. To find that specific genre that interests you, the best thing to do is try each genre to see which one would be of interest to you. Read a book from each of the selected genres, and narrow the books down to the best read. It is possible that the specific book or books you have read were generally not all that great. From there, you could either choose another book from the same genre and continue the cycle or cancel the genre altogether. As said before, it is a time consuming process, but if you are truly motivated, it is worth it in the end.
Tip 2:
Take Recommendations
Being open to recommendations can help speed the process of finding a genre that fits you. Some of my favorite books were recommended to me, and I have done the same to get my peers int reading. So, where can you get recommendations? Well, it’s helpful to ask a librarian or someone who works with literature like an English teacher. Although, you don’t always have to turn to them for recommendations. Social media platforms can be extremely helpful when looking for a book to read. In addition, you can read the opinions people had on the books. Other apps like Goodreads are really helpful as well. Goodreads is free and open to everyone, it’s a safe place for readers to vent their opinions on books and it becomes extremely beneficial when trying to find a new read. Book recommendations are exceedingly helpful when looking for a new book.
Tip 3:
Find Your Reading Source
There are a lot of sources for reading such as an actual book from the library, your local bookshop, online libraries, or eReaders. Many people find it easier to use a particular source for reading. Personally, I will use any source that is available to me at the moment, but it can be beneficial to find the source that you like most. Paperback and hardcover books can be pricey, so thrifting and borrowing them would be the best option to save money. eReaders like a kindle or a nook are also an option, but are more costly. If you like the idea of reading digitally but would like to save money, I would recommend the app Libby. You connect that app to your local library and gain access to borrow thousands of books. Finding the right source or sources for reading is extremely helpful in the journey of becoming an avid reader.
Tip 4:
Set Time Aside To Read
Setting time aside throughout the week is extremely beneficial if you want to be an avid reader. Whether that is before you go to bed or on your way home from school, it’s important to have time aside to engage in your novel. In order to be an avid reader, you have to keep up the habit of reading. Being able to have time throughout the week to engage in reading becomes really important. After a certain period of time, reading on the regular will become a habit and luckily if you have found interest in your novel, you might not even need a set time to read and just do it subconsciously!
I hope this was helpful and insightful for those of you who would like to become more active in reading. I know it can be challenging to set the time to do it even if you’re motivated, but patience is key. Down below I have the apps that I mentioned for reference, both are available on cellular devices and I hope they become of great use!
HB IN RETROSPECT 