Before there were big screens full of colors or smartphones bringing one piece of content after the other, written word was the key to entertainment.
In the past, readers submerged into ensuing battles, mythical creatures and the most intense loves through books. Now, we have other ways to maintain ourselves occupied that do not involve books.
In fact, Americans spent around 15 minutes a day reading in 2022, a number decreasing from pre-pandemic levels, according to Statista.
And though rapid and vast content can be fun, you should never underestimate the power of a good book. In this article, you will find ways to help you pick a book for pleasure and fall in love with reading:
1. Start with short stories
We often believe the phrase “go big or go home” applies to everything. And it might in some cases, but not reading. In a world full of distractions and responsibilities, it might be difficult to find time for reading. Hence, you shouldn’t set yourself for failure by starting a book you might never finish. If you want to start reading without having to wait a long time until the ending, start with short stories instead.
The name just says everything: they are short and to the point without taking away the magic of reading.
2. Look for books that were adapted to movies
If you love watching movies or streaming a TV show, you might be surprised to know some of them are just revivals of characters first found in books. And yes, there are those almost everybody knows like “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen, or “Pretty Little Liars” based on Sarah Sheppard’s books. But there are also new TV shows like “Daisy Jones & the Six or The Summer I Turned Pretty,” whose written versions wait for you.
And if you want to find one of your liking, IMDB has a filter that allows you to find all media content based on novels and their popularity.
3. Follow the right book trends
Social media platforms like TikTok or Instagram gives us access to real trends in real time. And we cannot lie, these trends are contagious even after you swore you’d never cave. And believe or not, this includes books.
Under the #booktok hashtag on TikTok, you will find millions of avid readers discussing their must-reads. This hashtag gave authors like Colleen Hover or Taylor Jenkins Reid the space to reach new audiences. However, not everybody likes that style of writing, and that’s honestly fine.
Trying new books is amazing but avoid picking things you know you might not like just because everybody enjoys them. If you want to pick up the habit of reading, you should have an amazing experience and relying on trends might not work if you choose the wrong ones.
So before reading the book, get familiar with the plot. Look through social media comments or go to Goodreads and search for the book you were thinking about starting.
Knowing what you find boring will help to narrow down what you don’t like.
4. Get books that have an audio version
Finally, if you really want to read but time is not your friend, choose a book that has an audio version. You can read whenever you want and listen when you are on your way to class.
Though you might feel hesitant, it helps you to achieve your reading goals and multitask as you go with your day. Think of it as a podcast for the mind.