While reading is one of the most popular daily activities for most people, some people don't like it. If you are not a fan too, don't feel guilty: you are not alone. In fact, the number of people who don't read books has tripled since 1978, and about a quarter of adults didn't even read a book the previous year. Maybe you've been forced to read boring texts for work or school, or maybe you've never found a particular genre to be passionate about. However, if you do some research across genres, you may find something you like. You may also learn some techniques that help you strategically read a text, even if it doesn't appeal to you very much.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Choosing a Book for Entertainment
Step 1. Choose engaging text
Many people love to talk about the "classics", but it is probably not the kind of reading you like, indeed it could even demotivate you. Choose any book as long as it intrigues you and encourages you to read.
- Check out various genres, such as celebrity biographies, novels, non-fiction, illustrated novels, or works of fiction.
- Get some interesting books from friends and family to suggest. You might like it too.
- You may be passionate about two different narrative genres. For example, it may be that one day you crave a romance novel and other times it inspires you more to read comics. Don't fixate on one genre: give yourself the chance to explore the vast world of reading!
Step 2. Enter a library
Bookstores offer several advantages over selling books online. First, you can walk among the displays and collect anything that catches your attention. You have a much better chance of discovering something exciting when you have a wide choice in front of your eyes than when you are forced to search for something in particular. In addition, in many bookstores you have the opportunity to relax and read a few pages in the area used as a coffee maker or sofas, in order to get an idea of the book before buying it.
Also, employees who work in bookstores usually love the products they sell and are happy to give you some suggestions. For example, if you don't like reading but found The Hunger Games very interesting, a salesperson might suggest other similar books that meet your tastes
Step 3. Remember that you don't have to take an exam
Some hate reading because at school they only had to do it for questions and exams, without developing any emotional connection with the texts studied. If you're just trying to figure out what you might like, keep in mind that you won't have to take an exam and that you won't "fail" if a particular type of book doesn't pique your interest.
- It is not even a competition. If someone likes a certain genre of books, it doesn't mean they are "better" than others. Those who boast of having read and appreciated James Joyce's Ulysses are not in themselves smarter. In fact, many pretend to have read the "classics": 65% of people admit to having lied by including books of a certain depth in their reading list.
- Read everything you find interesting and enjoyable, and don't let anyone judge you for what you like. Popular writers, such as John Grisham and James Patterson, will not reach the level of Charles Dickens, but their works are a source of pleasure for their readers.
Step 4. Rely on multimedia as well as paper
If you don't want to stick to a single genre, try using different types of reading tools. From magazines to books, from tablets to e-readers, you have a ton of media available that will allow you to vary your readings.
- If you don't like books, try smaller publications like magazines or newspapers. You can approach reading by using texts that are easier to assimilate.
- If you travel frequently, try using an e-reader or tablet. It can help you pass the time without forcing you to carry heavy books or magazines on your travels.
Step 5. Join a book club
Reading shouldn't bore you or isolate you. By joining a book club, you can have fun, socialize and enjoy various literary genres in the company of friends and family.
- In addition to making reading more enjoyable, imagining a story developing and telling it to other people will inspire you to read.
- Accompany your reading with other enjoyable activities, perhaps with a bite to eat or a glass of wine.
- Please note that by joining a book club, you are not forced to share the choices of others. You can always decide not to read or wait until something you like comes along.
Step 6. Listen to an audiobook
If you can't stand reading, listen to audiobooks. They are often read by good voice actors who modulate the voice in a dramatic and engaging way. Audiobooks can help you enjoy a story without forcing you to read it. They are also useful if you have to travel to work.
- You will probably have to take a few tries before you find the genre you like. If you don't like it, you can still stop listening and try something else.
- Many public libraries also offer users a free selection of audio books. Alternatively, you can sign up for a subscription service, such as "Audible", which allows you to download one audiobook per month for free for a small fee.
- According to some studies, listening to books basically requires the same intellectual performance as active reading. In fact, some people learn better by listening than by visual stimulation.
Step 7. Take your time
If you are reading for leisure, you have no urgency to finish. When you read, give yourself all the time you need to make sure you are fully enjoying the book of your choice.
Break the text into pages, chapters or paragraphs. If you feel the need to make the material you are reading more manageable, break it down into parts that are easier to assimilate. For example, you could read 5 pages at a time. See if you can handle yourself this way and continue if you want. If not, resume your reading one more time
Step 8. Don't mind reading
A text can become unbearable if you force yourself to read it to suit your own personal expectations or those of someone else. If you don't have any kind of obligation, you may find that you really enjoy reading and understanding what your favorite genre is.
- Spread books everywhere in your home or office. This way, when you feel bored, you will be encouraged to read instead of watching TV or doing something else.
- You can also take a book with you on vacation, to the pool, to the park, or on the way to work in the morning. It will help kill boredom or offer you a diversion when you need to get distracted.
Step 9. Read while relaxing
Don't do this when you are feeling stressed or in a rush. By reading when you have a quiet moment, you will automatically be led to appreciate this activity instead of considering it as an obligation.
- Studies have shown that a positive and relaxing environment can encourage people to read.
- For example, try putting a book on your nightstand so you can browse it before you go to sleep if you want. Also try to choose two different readings, such as a magazine and a novel, in order to consult the one that is most in tune with your mood.
Part 2 of 2: Read the Assigned Texts
Step 1. Use a didactic aid to accompany you in reading
If you are having difficulty finishing an assigned book, consider using a teaching aid to complete this assignment. It can help you understand more complex topics and teach you to appreciate the text you need to read.
- Most anthologies contain teaching aids. There are comments that can explain the more difficult parts of the text.
- Talk to your teacher or boss if you are having difficulty. He may suggest some effective methods for you to finish your reading.
Step 2. Develop a schedule for assigned readings
If you don't like reading, but are forced to do so for school or work, accept this assignment and come up with a plan to manage it. It will help you understand which strategies to use to carry out what has been assigned to you.
- Set a certain period of time for each paragraph so that you don't get stuck in some passage. For example, you may prefer to focus more on the introduction and conclusion rather than the central part of the text.
- Make sure you also schedule breaks to refresh your mind and recharge.
Step 3. Start reading as soon as you can
It is never too early to start reading what has been assigned to you. This way you will minimize stress and be able to remember the concepts you have learned.
You can read for 20-30 minutes a day, so you will analyze the text more efficiently
Step 4. Divide the book into more manageable parts
By focusing on smaller and more manageable sections, you will be able to finish the reading that has been assigned to you. This strategy will allow you to give the right attention to all the passages in which you have broken down the text, even if they are not very pleasant.
- Before you begin, briefly read the entire book so that you have a general idea of the subject. By doing this, you will avoid getting lost or confused.
- Pace yourself: Try not to spend more than a certain amount of time on each section. This will keep you motivated to finish your reading.
Step 5. Learn to "guess" as you read
People who are forced to read an infinite number of texts for work, such as university professors, use some strategies that help them quickly "guess" what they read - that is, acquire the most important information. If you learn to grasp the most useful concepts in a book, you can defeat boredom in an incisive and fun way when you are forced to read.
- The most important parts of any text are the introduction and conclusion. Make sure you read them carefully and then browse the rest to acquire the most important concepts.
- Usually the first and last sentences of a paragraph offer an anticipation of the topic dealt with within the same paragraph.
- Side boxes, text boxes, and summaries in textbooks often condense the most important information. Don't neglect them.
Step 6. Read aloud
To learn the content of a play or poem, reading aloud can be extremely helpful. These are texts that were written to be recited, so it is easier to understand a Shakespeare tragedy by hearing the sound of the words rather than reading them. In the same way, by reciting the poems aloud and paying attention to punctuation and to the points where the metric-syntactic unity is interrupted, one can discover peculiarities inherent in the text that are difficult to recognize if read in silence.
Step 7. Take notes
If you have been assigned a text to read, it is assumed that you need to remember certain information as you go along. By taking notes as you read, you have the option of using them for when you need to remember what you read previously.
- When taking notes, you need to know how to discern and measure out the most useful notions. You don't have to write down everything you read, just the essential information. For example, if it is a financial text, it is better to focus on the most important figures and calculations rather than the facts. Conversely, if you are reading a history text, you need to recognize the gravity of the events instead of paying attention to the details.
- Take notes by hand. According to some studies, people learn more while typing than typing on a computer keyboard or recording voice on a device.
Step 8. Share assigned readings and exchange notes
If you are part of a group or class where everyone has to read the same texts, distribute the reading among several people. Make sure you take notes and then have each one share the notes they have taken with the others. This method can help you reduce your workload.
For more satisfying results, it may be helpful to organize a reading group involving colleagues or classmates. Each one makes his strengths available during the analysis of the text and, if he does not grasp a concept, there is always someone else who is able to grasp it more easily
Advice
- Go to the library or bookstore and check out the titles. See which one catches your interest.
- If a book isn't interesting, move on to the next paragraph or chapter or take a break.
