11 Tips to Help You Read More Books

As a kid, I was a huge reader. The day we got the Scholastic Books catalogue at school was my Christmas. I could always be found with a dog-eared novel by my bed.

Like many, I stopped reading for pleasure during university. I was too bogged down with readings for class to want to read for fun.

But even after graduating, I still wasn’t reading like I used to. Even though I wanted to read more books, I just never made the time or effort.

It wasn’t until 2019 that I finally got back into reading.

Before 2019, I had been working on the same book for three years. And then in 2019, I read 40 books in a year! In 2020, I almost doubled that when I read 70.

While I haven’t maintained 70 books a year since 2020, I’m definitely still reading more than I used to. I’m remembering how fun it is to lose yourself in a book and to excitedly look forward to reading.

When I talk about my reading, most people say, “Aw, I wish I read more books. I really need to read more!” If that sounds like you, now is your time to get back into reading.

If you want to start reading, if you’re trying to get out of a reading slump, or if you haven’t picked up a book since your school days, check out my 11 bookish tips below!

1. Start with a book you love

If you’re trying to get back into reading, especially if the last time you read was for school, you should start with a book you love.

Don’t think of this as an assignment or something you have to do. I believe a lot of people struggle to read because they keep coming back to a title they’re just not excited about.

What book speaks to you? What cover looks inviting? What genre do you love? You’ll have a much better chance of sticking to your reading if you actually enjoy it (which is the whole point!).

Save those challenging books for later on and start with something that just makes you excited to read.

For example, after a reading slump towards the end of 2023, I started 2024 by rereading The Hunger Games. They’re kids books, sure, but they got me excited to pick up a book again!

2. Know that it’s okay to give up (DNF)

DNF stands for “did not finish” in the book community. And I am here to tell you that you have complete permission to DNF any book you don’t love.

It doesn’t matter if you’re 5 pages in or 50 pages in. If you’re not enjoying a book, stop reading. Trust me, the book won’t care!

Remember, you’re not reading for an assignment for school or to win some prize. You’re reading for pleasure. And if a book isn’t giving you pleasure, put it down.

There are too many amazing books out there for you to waste your time getting through one you don’t like. So don’t think of it as giving up, think of it as giving a chance to another book that will be a better fit.

When I first got back into reading, I really struggled to DNF. I’m a perfectionist and prided myself on being a “reader,” which I thought meant that I couldn’t quit. But since giving myself permission to DNF, I’ve been much happier with my reading life!

3. Find a community of readers

If you’re looking for a community of readers to join, you’ll find them everywhere!

There are bookstagrammers on Instagram, booktubers on YouTube and BookTok on TikTok. There are local book clubs and online book clubs, book threads on Twitter (X), reading groups on Facebook and lots of great book podcasts.

It can be a lot easier to get back into reading if you surround yourself with other readers. Not only will they encourage you to read, but they’ll also have lots of suggestions for what you should read next.

Personally, I like to follow lots of reading accounts on social media and listen to book podcasts to get me in a reading mood and to help me fill my TBR (to be read). I haven’t joined a book club (yet!) but I’d like to one day.

4. Find a spot to read

If you want to read more, it can help to develop a reading habit. And a great way to do that is by setting up a reading routine with your very own reading spot.

When we were travelling in Europe, I always designated the train as my reading spot. The train wifi was too spotty for me to be on my laptop or phone, so it was the perfect place to read and watch the scenery fly by.

Back in Vancouver, I love reading on the couch with our dog, Ellie, or out on our balcony in nice weather. I also enjoy ending my day with my e-reader in bed.

Having a spot that’s dedicated to reading can help put your brain in “book mode.” If you only use that chair or go to your local cafe when it’s time to read, you’ll begin to associate that space with reading.

5. Set aside time to read more books

You won’t magically start reading more unless you actually carve out some time to read.

Obvious, I know, but important. Lots of people say they want to read more but they don’t actually do anything about it.

When I was first getting back into reading in early 2019, I would actually set my alarm for 11am every day and take a 20 minute reading break. In fact, I think I might need to restart that habit!

You don’t have to keep a strict schedule like I did, but it is really helpful to designate a specific time for your reading. This might be 30 minutes before bed, when you first wake up or an hour on Sunday afternoons.

6. Put away distractions

Another obvious tip, but it is important enough to state: put away any distractions when you’re going to read. You can’t read while scrolling through social media!

When you sit down to read, put your phone on airplane mode, leave it in another room or at the very least, silence notifications and turn the screen over. I know this is a lot to ask of us tech-addicts in the 21st Century but I promise, you can do it.

Pro tip: I actually do a quick check of my social media accounts and inboxes before I start to read, so I can put my phone away without worry.

Other distractions (TV, laptops or even your partner) should also be far away (or quiet!) during your reading time. If this is becoming an issue, retreat to your reading spot (see tip #4 above) or invite your partner to read with you.

7. Set a reading goal

We all want to be those people who just naturally pick up a book anytime we’re bored instead of scrolling through our phones, like we usually do. But until you get there, it can be really helpful to set a goal to help you to read more.

Make sure you’re setting a specific goal. Having a goal to “read more books” isn’t as helpful as setting a goal to “read four books a month” or “read for 20 minutes a day.”

If you’re just getting into reading, keep your goal small. In 2019, my original goal was to read one book a month. When I hit that goal by mid-year, I upped it to 25 books. And I ended up finishing the year with 40 books under my belt!

While your goal should be specific, it doesn’t have to be tied to a number of books. This might make you feel too competitive and like you can’t DNF any book you start.

Instead, you could set a goal for the number of pages you’ll read or the amount of time you’ll spend reading. You could even set a goal to try out new genres or more diverse authors.

8. Share your reading goal

You know what they say: If you want to meet a goal, you need to make it public so people can hold you accountable. That applies to your reading too.

If you’re nervous about meeting your goal, share it out loud so people can help you.

Tell your roommate you want to read each night so they can remind you to grab your book after dinner. Share your goal on social media and get support from the online book community. Or recruit a friend to read along with you!

Sharing your goal not only helps you find support and accountability, but it can also make it more fun to track your progress. Why keep track of your reads in your head when you could colour in a fun journal or post about them online?

9. Don’t judge yourself

There’s no such thing as the right way to read books or the right books to read.

If you love Harlequin romance, YA (young adult) fantasy or celebrity memoir, that’s okay. If it takes you three days to read a book or three weeks or three months, that’s okay too.

No judgment! As long as you’re enjoying your reading life, that’s what matters.

Sometimes the downfall of joining a book community is the competitiveness. You’ll be astounded by how fast people can read or the challenging books they take on.

Try to remember that reading is not a competition. You didn’t get back into reading to “win” a race or to boast about getting through War & Peace. No one is a better reader because of that.

10. Try a new medium

My reading life changed drastically when I bought myself an e-reader in May 2019.

I’ve mentioned that I read 40 books in 2019 – well, only three of those books were paperback. I read the other 37 all on my Kobo e-reader!

With my e-reader, I was able to borrow digital books from the library without leaving my house and easily read as we travelled all over Europe. It was so handy to pack my tiny e-reader for a trip, rather than lugging piles of books around.

And then in 2020, I discovered audiobooks and finished over 70 books in a year! Since then, I’ve done almost all of my reading through audiobooks or e-books.

So if you’re trying to get back into reading, mix it up. Try out an e-reader, listen to an audiobook or even think about switching to articles instead of books.

You could also mix it up by trying a new genre or format like poetry, essay collections, graphic novels or short stories.

“But do e-books and audiobooks even count as reading?”

I know some people stick their noses up at e-books and audiobooks. They say that audiobooks are cheating and shouldn’t count as reading and that they just like the feel of a page in their hands.

First of all, audiobooks are not cheating. To say they don’t count as reading is extremely ableist.

Audiobooks make reading a lot more accessible. Why do we want to gate keep reading? If someone who can’t pick up a physical book, whether that’s due to a disability or because they have three kids running around, can read by listening to a book, isn’t that a good thing?

Secondly, I think we can all agree that we’d love to curl up by the fireplace and crack the spine on a beautiful new hardcover book. But that’s not everyone’s reality.

Sometimes an e-reader is just more convenient. Mine fits in my purse, so I can take it everywhere. It’s also backlit, meaning I can read in bed without waking my husband.

An e-reader can also be more sustainable, affordable and accessible. While there is an upfront cost to the e-reader, once you have it you can borrow books from the library for free or download them for just a few dollars.

That’s way cheaper (and less wasteful) than buying a brand new hardcover every other week! Plus, let’s not forget the accessibility factor of being able to change the font style and size on an e-reader.

All to say, e-books and audiobooks ABSOLUTELY count as reading!

11. Go easy on yourself

At the end of the day, it’s okay if your reading life isn’t exactly where you want it to be. Even the most voracious readers probably wish they read more/better/differently.

It’s okay to stop reading books and come back to them. Everyone goes through reading slumps when they don’t want to read and every book they pick up gets DNF-ed. That’s okay!

As your life changes, your reading is going to change as well. If you’re switching jobs, having a baby or planning a big move abroad, it’s understandable that you might have less time for reading.

My reading has certainly come and gone over the years. Even though I got back into reading in 2019, I haven’t always kept it up. Some years I don’t read as much as others. But rather than beat myself up about it, I’m giving myself grace.

So if your reading isn’t looking like you want it to, go easy on yourself. You’ll come back when you’re ready. Books aren’t going anywhere.

You’re already on your way to reading more books

Congratulations, you’ve already taken a huge step towards becoming a book lover!

By seeking out this article (and getting all the way to the end), you’ve proven that you really do want to read more books.

And honestly? I think that’s the hardest part.

A lot of people talk about wanting to read more, but not a lot of people do anything about it. It’s more that they wish they wanted to read more.

But you? You want to read so much that you read an article about reading! That’s pretty impressive.

Now that you have these tips in mind and you’re feeling confident in your desire to read more, there’s only one thing left to do. Go out and grab that first book!

I’d love to know: What are your tips for reading more books? And what are you reading right now?

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