Tips On Reading More Books
I have chewed into hundreds of books so far and I have learned a lot along the way. I usually complete reading up to three books in just about two weeks. I have a personal collection of over two hundred and fifty books and have read almost every one of them.
The above and the fact that I’m actively finding ways to read more books puts me in a reasonable position to give you advice on how to increase your read count (and to do so in the least amount of time possible). I have also included the tips I have collected by speaking to my other voracious reader friends to bring in a sense of completeness and balance to the list outlined below.
Here is the collection of tips to read more books in the least amount of time.
1. Read a book as if you are watching a movie.
Read a book as if you are watching a movie. Don’t try to take insane notes or try to argue with the author with a quest to sound smart. Read. Understand. Appreciate. Read with a mindset to listen.
Treat the author as your good old buddy who has shown up over drinks and is now discussing something with you. He happens to have said something (his book title) that you found interesting and now you want to know more.
That’s it. Simple. Easy.
Never treat your books separate from their authors.
2. It’s okay to read multiple books at a time.
It’s okay to read multiple books at a time. No, you won’t mismatch the stories. Okay. You might. But what’s the worst that’s going to happen? You’ll recite a wrong set of narration to your friends? That’s alright! It just proves that you have read twice the amount of books!
And what’s the best that might happen, you ask? Perhaps you might overlap them and find some more interesting pieces of advice which previously was unsynthesizable from reading those books at different times.
But that’s not going to happen. You’ll not mix up the stories. Get over the fear and read multiple books at a time.
I usually read up to four books at a time. And to avoid mix up, I pick them from different genres or with different intentions.
- There is usually one book that I read for entertainment. This is the book I ain’t actively trying to finish. It’s there to be read when I’m bored with the other three.
- Then there is one book that I have picked from my Must Reads list. This is the one that I pursue relentlessly. It’s a book that holds a promise to impart wisdom.
- Then I leave a slot open for random suggestions. I might pick a book from an online post or maybe a friend would have suggested one. This is the book that I read but to just size it up, to get a feel for what it holds and to which category it best suits.
- And one book is usually directly related to my career. This book helps me get some day to day things done or simply prepare me for the near future.
3. It’s okay to not read books in full.
It’s okay to not read books in full. Life is too short to be spent on unreasonable crap. Yes. Books can be crap. Don’t waste your time on books that don’t speak to you. If you aren’t enjoying your time with a book, it’s probably not good. Not because it’s not good for all. It’s not good for you and you should know that you are important. Put yourself on a priority and dump anything that doesn’t justify the investment of your precious time in it.
4. Once you have completed reading a book, go out and talk about it.
Once you have completed reading a book, go out and talk about it. It helps reinforce your understanding of the book and it supremely improves your retainment of information.
I like to put this in a crisp quote of mine:
A book not discussed is a book not read. ✌️
5. Be a part of reading groups.
It helps if you have a bunch of friends who read books. These need not be your regular friends. They can be anyone. You can meet them on social media, downstairs on the street or in a supermarket. Anyone who is on the same vibe as yours, they’re a great match. Just go out and talk. You’ll be surprised at what an amazing effect it has on your book count.
6. Read because you enjoy it.
Read because you enjoy it. Do not read because you are under pressure.
If you don’t enjoy reading then it’s absolutely okay to quit (although know what you are missing out on). Anything done under pressure of any sort (unless it’s the kind that makes you move your derrière and get work done) is just water down the drain. It adds no value and if for anything, ends up wasting your time.
With that, my tips list concludes. But you can always add more in the comments. There is definitely a chance that you might not agree with one or more of my tips which is perfectly fine. Let me know in the comments. I shall definitely read them but most importantly they can also serve as an aid for others to get a broader view (because no human being, myself included, is correct all the time) on the subject of reading more books.
If you liked my tips, claps on this article shall be highly appreciated.
PS If you are an occasional reader or have just made up the will to read books and perhaps make reading a habit, then you can first read through all of our publication’s book reviews (that’s how you can start small and build the momentum to read more content). Then decide upon which book you want to read. Trust me. It’s going to be easy. Just start small and know that it’s a gradual process.
