Spending time reading a good book is an excellent form of entertainment. Books can be an escape from a boring life or an adventure full of intrigue and emotion. It is easy to get lost in the well-written pages of a good book, reading, word after word, a literary masterpiece. Of course, there are ways to savor a book to its fullest extent.
Would you like to become an avid reader?
Steps
Step 1. Understand what kinds of books you like
If you don't read a lot, this may take some time, but don't worry. Think about your favorite movies: are they action, adventure, science fiction, or love stories? Try to find a book of the same genre. Numerous films have been based on books, so a great place to start is by reading the book that gave rise to your favorite movie.
Step 2. Look for book and writer recommendations
You can ask your librarian or friends who read many books for advice; you can also look for good reviews featured in literary magazines. Alternatively, if you're a young person, a great place to start is reading a book that you have won or been nominated for a children's book literary award. One of the most important is the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, while, in the Italian context, there is the Andersen Award. Among these you will find books of all kinds and, usually, the victory of the prize is reported on the cover.
Step 3. Find a nice, quiet place to read
It can be in your room, near a pond or in the library - any place that suits you and doesn't have distractions. Over time, you may find that you enjoy reading more while listening to music or walking on the treadmill, or perhaps while following some of your habits - you may experiment.
Step 4. Try to see yourself as the protagonist
If the book is about fighting dragons, imagine yourself wielding a sword, ready for action. An important part of reading is the reader's ability to fully immerse himself in the story. If the author has done a good job, you should have the feeling that you can empathize with the characters and perceive them as being just as real as your friends and family - this is what you look for when reading a book.
Step 5. After you've finished reading the book, ask yourself questions
"Did I like the book?". "Were the characters credible?" "Did I understand the story?" "Did I learn anything by reading it?". This way you will be able to understand what the next books you should read will be. If the answers to these questions are positive, you may want to try another similar book, or another by the same author. After reading it and enjoying it, remember that you don't necessarily have to limit yourself to just one genre or a single author. Now that you know what you like, the best thing is to diversify your readings a bit.
Advice
- Create your reading space. It could be a corner of your room, equipped with a comfortable chair.
- Start simple. Don't overload yourself with too many books to read and try starting with short, easy-to-understand texts.
- If you really enjoyed a book, write your own alternate ending. This practice is known as fan fiction.
- Try to empathize with the characters. Find your favorite and ask yourself why you care so much.
- After gaining more experience, try out different genres of books. If you now know that you like science fiction, give "great literature" a try: you might like it! (If not, it doesn't matter, but it may still expand your horizons.)
- After some time you may find that you no longer need a distraction-free place to read, and you may suddenly find that you can do it on the bus or in the middle of the mall!
