5 Tips on How to Read More Books and Read Better

Hi there! If you are reading this, I am sure you want to read more books this year or even get started with reading books. In order to become a better writer, you must learn how to read first. In the end, it is all about becoming a better reader.

I am writing this blog from my experience of reading 500+ books and running this blog for over 2 years. Recently, I wrote a mini-series on LinkedIn sharing my two cents on how you can read more books and I got an overwhelming response which motivated me to write a complete post detailing the steps and elaborating my experience.

I hope this helps!

My Journey with Books

I started reading when I was in class 7th. We moved to Punjab in 2006 and that was the first school where I got a full-fledged library with some amazing books on the shelf. The kids were not that interested to read books and the librarian was very generous in lending me books. I mostly read graphic books, Winnie the Pooh, Mickey Mouse but I also came across some books by Munshi Premchand.

Hindi being my mother tongue, I finished his books quickly. I read in my room while everyone played outside. I came to another state and enrolled in a new school. The library was even richer. I started exploring classics written by Shakespeare, Thomas Hardy, Arthur Canon Doyle. After I started my college, my library did not have literature content and I did not have enough pocket money to buy books. So I started reading eBooks on my phone.

When I had a good budget, I started buying books and read more often. The biggest change was brought by Minireads that has improved and changed how I read. I have written more in this blog: How Blogging has changed the way I read.

With my experience, I am sharing 5 tips on how to read more books and how to become a better reader!

5 Tips on How to Read More Books?

#1 You have to constantly make a choice to read. Time will never come.

When people ask me how do I find time to read so much, I answer that I make time to do so. We all have fillers in the day wherein we watch some videos, reply to some chats or simply scroll LinkedIn. These are the times I use to read.

I also get asked is it better to read or listen to a book? I answer that it depends. I personally prefer reading books but while commuting, listening to books can be an effective way to read books faster.

Instead of getting in the loop of endless scroll, I prefer to turn pages. This helps me read more and grow!

# 2 Always buy more books than you can read

I have realized that our taste in reading keeps on changing as we pass through different moods and phases in life. The book you buy today in a surge of learning personal finance might seem dull tomorrow. Have a comforting book to read for that day.

Buy more. Read with variety. That’s my mantra!

#3 Set goals for reading

We all know that what gets measured, gets achieved. The same is for books. Set a target when it comes to reading. It could be even 5 pages a day. With this also, you will be able to read 6-8 books a year! This is better than reading nothing.

Your goal should be to read books more often and focus on enhancing your skills as a better reader.

#4 Find your happy place in a genre or an author

When you start reading, it is more about habit than enjoyment. But after a while, the habit turns into enjoyment and you will find yourself going back to the same author or genre. That is your happy place.

Mine is Ruskin Bond

Your happy place will pull you back when you fall out of habit. When this happens, know that you now enjoy reading.

Read more: A little post on Ruskin Bond

# 5 Start writing about what you read

I started my book review blog, Minireads around 2.5 years ago and it has improved my quality and habit of reading substantially. It has become my home on the internet. You can consider writing a blog or reviews on Goodreads as soon as you finish a book. This will help you connect with like-minded readers and will keep you on track.

I hope this series was helpful. I know we are all short on time and have a very short span of time. That is what makes reading even more fun: it places your brain out of the comfort zone. Remember, it is never too late to start reading. Never too late to live too many lives or visit too many places. The choice is yours to make.

What helped you become a better reader? I would love to know your thoughts on how to read better and faster.