So you want to be a reader

“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one.” – George R. R. Martin

You step into the bookstore and are surrounded by thousands of titles, with an array of colorful covers, all sorted by genre. Which one do you pick? How could you possibly decide? Your wallet is trembling in fear, afraid you'll lose your head and just start grabbing books in a frenzy. You're only just starting out on your reading journey but this has become much more daunting of a feat than you could have imagined. Your heartbeat quickens, you swear you can hear all of the books murmuring, summoning you to select them. You're about to turn right around and run back to your car, when a magical book fairy appears.

Don't worry, it's me, I'm the magical book fairy and I can help.

Whether you used to be a reader but have been on a long hiatus, or you're new to the concept of "reading for fun", I have some tips and tricks for you. What makes me an expert? Quite honestly, nothing. I have no true credentials. I could merely show you my exhausted library card or the shelves upon shelves of books in my room or my Goodreads 2023 reading list... Or, I could simply tell you that I used to love reading when I was younger, but that I lost my way for a long time. I read here and there, without any true path. But then, at the end of 2021, I dived back into the world of books and never looked back. So, based off my personal experience and speaking to others about theirs, I can share a few pieces of advice.

Time to start the adventure

In January 2023, I lead a virtual session at my work, called "Resolution to Read". (Shoutout to my co-hosts who helped run it!) I provided tips and tricks on how to, not only get into reading, but how to make it into a habit.

Since then, I've expanded a bit on those tips and tricks and wanted to share them with my LinkedIn community.

• If you are unsure on where to even start, try this quiz to see what genre you might like to try. (Thank you Kyla Cook for sharing this quiz with me!) Sure, it's a simple, silly quiz, but it'll help you pinpoint what you like and dislike. Or you can take my sister's approach and walk around the library to see what looks interesting. (Feel free to judge a book by its cover. It's okay, I promise.)
• On that note, use your local library! The library is a wonderful, free resource. It also gives you freedom in your book choice, as you don't have to fret about whether you'll like it or not. Pick a book, read a little of it, and if you don't like it, set it down and try a different one. Not every book is for everyone. I tried so many new genres because I was able to read books for free.
• Don't feel like you have to read a certain book. Just because a book is popular, it doesn't mean you'll like it. Reading a fantasy novel over a classic, doesn't make you any less of a reader. (I have no bias of course, as a tried and true fantasy reader.)
• Track your progress with Goodreads or The StoryGraph. I personally use Goodreads and there is something so fulfilling about marking a book as "Read". It also lets you create a "Want to Read" list, which is incredibly convenient when you're browsing the shelves for your next read.
• Carve out time to read. This was an absolute game changer for me when I was getting back into reading. I made a point to try and read every single night before bed, whether that was for ten minutes, a chapter, or hours.
• Create a designated reading area. For myself? I bought a big, cozy papasan chair that I set up in a corner of my room, surrounded by plants. Make sure you have good lighting! Grab a cup of tea or your beverage of choice, and settle in for some cozy reading time.
• Do a buddy read. Find a friend, pick a book, set a deadline, and discuss it together! Whether you just chat on the phone (if you also happen to have a sister states away, like me) or meet up for dinner, it will be fun to talk about the book together. It also helps to have someone hold you accountable.
• If you want more of a community, join a book club! You can join a local in-person one or perhaps even a virtual club through Meetup. Alternatively, don't be afraid to start your own! Snag a couple of your coworkers or a few friends and get reading.
• Try an audiobook. Libby is a fantastic (and free) resource. All you need is a library card and you are ready to go. While I personally have not been able to truly get into audiobooks, others swear by them. A few additional resources that folks have mentioned include: Scribd, Audible, and YouTube.
• Bring a book with you when you think you'll have some downtime. Going to the doctor's office or the DMV? You know you'll have plenty of time to read. You can also try e-readers such as a Kindle or Nook (both have apps on the Apple app store), so you aren't hauling around a physical book.
• Join a reading challenge. If you're anything like me, you need a goal to hit (or absolutely crush, depending on how competitive you are). Set a yearly reading goal on Goodreads if you want something general. I also found a few challenges such as this one from the The Nerd Daily or this huge master list from Girlxoxo.
• Look into additional reading resources. Quite frankly, I love listening to people talk about books so I'll listen to The Modern Mrs. Darcy, Book Reviews Kill, and Currently Reading. They do book reviews, give book recommendations, and much more.

I hope these little pieces of advice help you kickstart your reading journey. Reading is one of my biggest passions and I could talk about books for so long, that you'd have the urge to chuck one at me, just to make me stop.