How to Read More

(Here's how I do it)

If you want to be a writer, the easiest thing you can do is read more.

Create a fake “Airplane Mode”

Whenever I put my phone in Airplane Mode, I wouldn’t get my notifications after, so I wouldn’t know if anyone (for example Dave or my kids) tried to call me. Then, I made a fake “Airplane Mode” which mutes everything, BUT when I turn the mode off, I can see my missed calls.

This takes away

some of the anxiety that comes with turning my phone off and allows me to calmly leave my phone in the other room without checking every few mins.

Then, set a time that

you could conceivably read, every day. For me, it’s lunch hour. I eat at the table in my office, and then I take out my kindle and read for a bit. Maybe for you it’s your commute, or when you wake up, or after you brush your teeth.

(It’s good to hook a new habit onto an existing habit so try to attach reading onto something you are already doing).

Next, I put the timer on.

This takes away checking how much longer I have.

I know that I can read until it beeps, so my mind is free to concentrate on what I’m reading. How long is up to you. I find three minutes a little short, and thirty minutes a little long, so I would recommend starting somewhere in there.

Obviously,

you need to choose something you actually want to read.

Genre fiction

reads very quickly. If you are trying to tempt yourself into reading more, I would not start with presidential biographies. Unless of course, that’s your thing.

Romance, for example, or mystery/thriller are good gateway reads. I love memoir, so if I feel my reading slowing down, I go straight for my favourite type of book and then I’m re-hooked.

Reading will make you a better writer

because you will see patterns in other people’s work. You will learn more about what is happening in the industry right now (or what has happened, if you’re reading older books), your vocabulary will improve, you will be a better editor and of course, you get the bonus of being a great literary citizen and supporting your friends and colleagues.

You might need a little persistence

to push past the usual boundaries of I should be folding laundry or scrolling on my phone is so much easier, but I have faith in you.

Photo by Ed Robertson on Unsplash