How to make reading fun for adults
5 Tips to Make Reading More Enjoyable as an Adult | USABuzzFeed | by usabuzzfeed
Reading is among the most pleasurable and edifying habits we can build, yet there are so many demands for our attention that making time to sit with a book often gets pushed down the list of priorities until it falls off entirely. If you’re among the many people who haven’t read much since high school or college but would like to read more, these five tips will help you pick up the right books, make reading more fun, and avoid the most common obstacles to becoming a reader.
Tip 1: Know Your Reasons for Reading
Why do you want to read more books? Knowing the answer to this question will help you find the right books and avoid those that will waste your time. Reasons may range from pure entertainment to learning and self-improvement, to keeping up with literary trends. There are no right or wrong answers, but once you pin this down, you will have a better sense of direction for exploration.
Fiction and nonfiction, classic and modern literature, and literary and genre fiction are all very different biomes within the world of books. Knowing which has the right environment for your purpose and interests will make your forays into readership more productive and enjoyable.
Tip 2: Read What You Like
All readerships are plagued by stereotypes, from stuffy nonfiction to cozy cat mysteries. Negative stereotypes can deter new readers from picking up certain kinds of books for fear of judgment. Don’t let this be you. If a book catches your interest, give it a try, even if it’s not something you would usually consider to be “for you.” The more you explore, the better you will understand your tastes, which will help you find more books you enjoy. Read what you like, and whether you read political philosophy, paranormal romance, or both, never be ashamed of what you read.
Tip 3: Lose the Guilt
Not enjoying a book? Don’t finish it. A common hang-up many readers have is a feeling of guilt and failure around not finishing a book.
This feeling is counterproductive. Choosing not to finish a book is a legitimate, and many times well-warranted decision, as long as you do so for a good reason; not finishing a book because you don’t make time for it is different than not finishing a book because it is boring or unhelpful. If you aren’t getting what you want from your current read, abandon it and try something else. You will end up reading more books that you do finish, and reading more of what you enjoy.
Tip 4: Set Goals
Setting reasonable goals will help you stay motivated and build a feeling of accomplishment around reading. On the other hand, avoid setting goals that are too ambitious. If you haven’t been hiking in years, Everest is not the first mountain you would set out to tackle. Likewise, if reading has not been a big part of your life, start with small, manageable goals you know you can achieve. Give yourself plenty of time to complete the goal, and find some way to record your victory when you do.
Keeping a list of the books you have read is a great way to hold yourself accountable and gives you a way to look back and appreciate your achievements.
Tip 5: Make Reading a Habit
If you want to become a reader, you need to make reading a habit. Habits are built slowly over significant lengths of time. Reading for 10 minutes every day for a month will be more helpful than reading for two hours once a week. Shorter periods of reading are easier to maintain, and harder to make excuses for missing. When you find a book you like, you will discover 10 minutes is not a chore, but a treat, and you will end up reading for much longer without any effort. The hard part will be to stop.
Conclusion
Whether you are getting back into reading after many years or picking up the habit for the first time, remember the most important thing is to keep it enjoyable and fun. Reading as an adult should not feel like homework or a chore. Reading should be a joy, a treat, an adventure: the gateway to infinite worlds and to the depth and breadth of human thought and experience.
Pick up a book and start exploring.
Originally published at https://usabuzzfeed.com on May 10, 2019.
14 Tips And Tricks To Make Reading Fun( and less boring) – The Creative Muggle
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Nothing is quite as enjoyable as reading a good book where the story transports you to a completely NEW and exciting world!
But regrettably, there are times when you just picked up the wrong book and you don’t think reading is fun anymore. You feel you don’t enjoy a good book. Reading become rather dull and boring activity.
Maybe you’re reading a book like, Marcel Proust’s Swann’s Way, where it takes twenty-four pages to describe a scene. And there are other books that can cause the same boredom with unexciting characters.
Before I turned bookworm, I often felt that reading is boring. And I couldn’t find ways to make reading fun and enjoyable.
Although most of the time I blame it on book. Later, I realised that there are many tips and tricks that can make reading a book pleasurable. So if you’re someone who has hard time focusing on reading or feel reading is quite boring, this post is for you.
I am going to share tips and tricks to make reading fun. 15 fun ideas to make reading a book more rewarding and entertaining. Find out the best ideas on how to make reading fun for adults.
You’ll love this post-
- Crazy Simple Ways to Develop Reading Habit
- 28 Tips To Become A Bookworm
- How To Read More Books
You are told numerous times that reading is the best hobby. Reading can enhance your memory and concentration. However, that’s not enough to make reading fun.
Identify the reason, why you want to read? What is the fun and enjoyable part about reading? Is it because you love stories? Or you love reading more about the lives of people: world leaders, actors, politicians,…?
For me, reading is a hobby I enjoy the most.
I think reading books is entertaining and enjoyable. Books are the lens through which I see the world. Reading helps me explore the countries and cultures that are foreign to me. And I definitely think reading is the best hobby for any fun-loving person.
The other day, I was reading “The Great Alone’‘ by Kristin Hannah– an incredible novel that tells the story of a family in Alaska. I could actually experience the dangers of living in a wild, remote corner of the state throughout the book! Although the book was intense, I try to make the reading fun by searching about Alaska wildland adventures.
“Homegoing” is another epic novel that’s so close to my heart. Yaa Gyasi’s novel depicts brutal acts of violence and enslavement.
But, I don’t always go for intense and dramatic novels. Occasionally, I pick up sweet and delightful reads like “The Unhoneymooners” by Christina Lauren. Reading light and funny novel are also another way of making reading enjoyable.
So next time, make sure to list some fun part of reading before starting a new book.
2. Establish a fun, exciting daily reading routineAn easy reading routine will go a long way in your busy schedule.
Establishing a relaxing daily reading may include a few realistic approaches but can impact your reading in so many ways.
The first step is to figure out the time you want to allocate for reading.
Are you an early bird and get everything done in the morning, then maybe how about reading for a few minutes before work? Or do you like getting some extra sleep in the morning and want to read more just before bed? Choose whatever best suits you and stick with it. The key is to have a few minutes of fun reading time which is entertaining and relaxing.
Make the most out of your reading time by creating a reading nook. Get a comfortable reading chair or couch along with some matching cushions to make the reading space cosy and comfortable.
Have a cute little reading space not only make reading fun but also help you concentrate while reading , without getting bored.
Here is a few reading nook decor to create the dreamy book lover space.
3. Avoid distractions while readingThe one most common problem that every reader faces might be getting distracted. Once you start reading, millions of things come to your mind and eventually, you’ll lose focus.
Other times, it can be a new Instagram message that pops on your phone. Once you grab the phone to look into any of these, you get lost in the “eternal scrolling” of your IG feed.
So before you read, turn phone your phone off or put it in focus mode.
And if you are looking for fun ways to read your favorite book, listening to music is a good way to do so. Music indeed help you have fun with reading. But here is something you should know about listening to music while you read.
Recent research suggests listening to music with lyrics reduces reading efficiency. “Music with lyrics is very likely to have a problematic effect when you’re writing or reading,” said Clifford Nass, professor at Stanford University.
Grab this playlist to have fun with your reading.
4. Speed reading isn’t exactly a fun reading timeYou might want to read more books and become an avid reader. Although speed reading can help reading more books, you may not be the best way to make reading fun. You might understand only a little of the story and eventually want to give up. Focusing more on speed can actually affect comprehension.
I am quite sure this is what had happened to me when I read a classic novel. I have to reduce my reading speed quite a lot compared to contemporary fiction.
Bottom line is that speed reading is not a bad habit but it somewhat limits the fun of reading a good book.
If you love reading long books with 500 or 800 pages, challenge yourself not to check the rest of the pages. A smart way to avoid the stress of reading a long book is to divide them into small chunks. Have fun with creating a reading timeline for each chapter. This way you will have more focus while reading.
6. Join a book club to make reading enjoyableI actually divide them hourly. For example, 100 pages/ 3 chapters in an hour. These numbers can vary depending on the book, of course.
Even though I am not part of a book club officially, the idea takes me back to my literature classes. I remember when we were asked to read classics for the reading discussions. I really liked the idea of discussing a book with my classmates. We had to come up with fun ways to read classic books. Discussing a book with your friends of book club members make reading any book fun.
So book clubs are definitely a place to hang out if you want to enjoy reading.
If you’re just started to read and are not sure how to choose your next read, join a book club immediately. Not only for making reading entertaining but also to meet other book lovers.
Sometimes it’s so hard not to discuss a great read when you’re not surrounded by bookworms. You might want to share a beautiful love story you read or an extraordinary memoir, but then you don’t know what to discuss, that’s when book clubs are a blessing.
Book clubs are also a great place to explore new genres and get tons of book recommendations.
You can also join the book discussion boards at Goodreads.
Here are the list of book clubs to join to make reading fun
- Reese Witherspoon Book Club APP
- The Rumpus Book Club
- The Reddit Book Club
- Reading Group Choices
Reading the blurb can enhance the fun of readingAlthough I am not a huge fan of reading book reviews, I find the blurbs of the book quite encouraging. In my opinion, reading the review restricts me from coming up with my own interpretation and analysis of characters. So I’d rather check the star rating in the goodreads before getting a new book to read.
Along with reading a blurb here are a few more things you can try doing to make reading fun and enjoyable
- Read about the author
- Find out more about the background of the story
- Check other interesting facts about books
8. Have fun with reading & listeningI remember watching the interview of Anne Patchet when she talks about the story behind the gorgeous cover of her latest book The Dutch House.
E-book, audiobook or paper book?
You might have already heard the numerous debates out there on this topic.
Personally, I don’t think it matters.
However, it took me a while to change my perspective on this as I always enjoyed feeling the pages when I read. The earthy smell of a book makes reading more pleasurable.
But for the past two years, I have been listening to audiobooks quite a lot, and actually enjoy listening to the audio narration of books. Listening to best audiobook narrators make my reading fun and entertaining. Especially when it comes to long and boring books.
We all know how classic novels are often regarded as the finest works of literature but the descriptive writing makes the reading tedious. But thanks to audiobooks, I have listened to quite a lot of them without getting distracted.
9. Books to movie adaptations can be entertaining and funHere is a list of 21 FREE Audiobooks to listen to have more fun.
There have been a great many literary adaptations over the years.
From the classic novels, Alice in Wonderland and Peter Rabbit to Harry Potter and Hunger Games, so many great books have become the most popular movies of all time.
So how does watching a movie make reading fun?
Well, when you read you have your own interpretations of characters, story and the setting. So there is something incredibly exciting about seeing your favourite characters on screen.
I remember watching the movie “To Kill a Mockingbird” half-heartedly. Having loved the book so much, I wasn’t sure whether I’d be able to enjoy it. But it turns out that the movie is as gripping as the novel.
Of Mice and Men is another book to movie adaptation, a gripping tale of migrant workers that was heartbreaking to watch. So if you’re looking for ideas to make reading fun for adults, look for some great book to movie adaptation to watch later.
- The Dry
- Peter Rabbit
- The Nightingale (upcoming)
- Fault in Our Stars
- The White Tiger
- Little Women
- Room
- Crazy Rich Asians
- Forrest Gump by Winston Groom
- The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger
- The Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King
- Green Mile by Stephen King
- The Reader by Bernhard Schlink
- Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates
- The Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane
This is one of the best things I enjoy doing when I begin a new book.
Essentially, this includes searching about anything you find fascinating in the novel. For instance, you might find the country where the book is set, fascinating. Perhaps the historical events mentioned in the book were intriguing. Or you are excited about the sumptuous recipes in a novel. Try to learn more about anything that you think can make your reading fun.
When I was reading “Anne of Green Gables”, I was fascinated by country life. I was constantly reading about Prince Edward Island and gazing at the picturesque villages on Google.
So spend some time reading fun facts about the book and the author. Find out something exciting in the book, apart from the story.
A few honourable mentions of the books made me spend hours on the internet reading about interesting facts than the actual story.
- “Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi“( Historical Elements)
- “Malibu Rising” ( Malibu, Obviously )
- “The Home for Unwanted Girls” by Joanna Goodman (Historical references)
Listen to podcasts about booksPodcasts are widely popular because they are FREE and you can listen anytime from anywhere.
Literary podcasts are the best if you love listening to discussions on books, authors, writing etc.
“Books and Authors” is the very first book podcast I listened to and have been hooked ever since. Each episode covers interviews of popular authors or writers discussing their favourite books. Bookish podcasts help me to find fun ways to read more book. And you will get a lot of reading recommendations.
Here are a few Podcasts for Book Lovers to get started.- The Book Riot Podcast
Weekly news and talk show hosted by the editors of BookRiot.com
- The Stacks Podcast
Host Traci interviews authors about their writing process and favourite read.
- Bookmarked: A YA Book Podcast
Great discussion about YA books.
New releases and popular YA books and authors.
- MuggleCast: The Harry Potter Podcast
This weekly podcast explores the wizarding world. Each episode has something unique for potter heads.
- What Should I Read Next?
Just like the name, this podcast helps you find YOU the next read.
- Black Chick Lit
Bimonthlypodcast discusses popular books of black authors.
- So Many Damn Books
Hosts Christopher and Drew talk about everything about reading, literature, publishing.
- Reading Women
Another great podcast for book recommendations. It also takes you through the writers’ process and research and much more.
- The Stories That Changed My Life
A beautiful podcast about stories. In each episode, guests share the inspiring stories that have touched them.
What’s a reading tracker? Just like the name suggests, it’s a way of tracking the books you’ve read. Or books you’re planning to read in a month or a year.
Tracking the books encourages you to read more and make reading more pleasurable and gratifying.
Reading trackers are the best to keep track of the complicated or sometimes similar book titles you often forget. Ever since I started using a reading tracker, I can easily go back and forth to see whether I have read that particular book.
You can even use reading logs to track the books of a particular author.
Above all, isn’t it always fun to look back and see how many books you’ve read in a year? So if you’re looking for the best way to track your book, Goodreads is the best website.
Or if you want to be a little more creative, I can help you with “The Creative Muggle reading tracker. These reading trackers are an absolutely creative space for you to track the book with a bit of colouring.
Grab the reading trackers here.
The Queen’s Gambit to Bridgerton, Netflix shows based on books have gained massive popularity in the past year.
So why not grab the books and watch the TY shows?
The fascinating thing about Netflix shows is that they are lengthy and elaborate, giving us more opportunity to explore the characters.
Given that Netflix has been picking up a number of novels to TV adaptations it’s time to make reading more fun.
Some of my favourite TV shows that are based on books are The Queen’s Gambit, Anne with an E, Sherlock
15.
Appreciate your effortsFinally, take some time to appreciate your efforts and accomplishments.
Treat yourself to anything you love. Another book (why not ), cookies, chocolate, anything that makes you feel like you’ve achieved something extraordinary.
Let me know whether any of these hacks have worked for you,
Always curious to hear from you,
Stephy
More tips to have fun with your Reading- How to Read Way More Books
- How to Develop a Lasting Reading Habit
- 4 Reasons Why Reading is the Best Hobby!
- 31 Epic Books Guaranteed to Get You Out of Your Reading Slump in 2021
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How to make reading fun for your child
Book-loving parents often resent their children for refusing to read books. Still, there are so many interesting things in the world: TV, computer, tablet. All these items do not require any intellectual effort, it is enough to sit in front of the screen and sometimes press the buttons. The child should not be forced. Children should be spoken to in their language.
In order for a child to realize the importance of reading and books in his life, equip the apartment with a special place where you can relax and read quietly. It should be a corner with bookshelves, a table lamp and a comfortable chair. The book corner should be as comfortable as possible, conducive to reading. On the wall you can hang a portrait of a famous writer or just any beautiful picture. "Holy place" should not be empty. Spend every free minute here reading a book.
Little detective
Any unfamiliar or unpleasant activity should be presented to children in the form of a game, and they will play along with you with pleasure.
Find the word
Tell your child that you can't find a word in the text, then ask him to look for that word. When parents give an “important” task, children usually take the request very seriously, because they were entrusted with a “serious task” like adults. A child begins to feel important when he can do something that his parents cannot.
Search words should be chosen infrequently, that is, prepositions and conjunctions are not suitable. Children do not need to understand the meaning of the word they are looking for. Focused on the search, they are unlikely to think about the meaning. However, after the child finds the word, be sure to explain what it means.
Make a prediction
Not only fortunetellers and clairvoyants can make predictions. Real detectives cope with this task no worse.
Find a book with lots of pictures that kids love. Have your child predict what the book is about and how it will end. Let him carefully examine the pictures and draw a conclusion about the content of the story. The child will enthusiastically compose his own fairy tale, and then he will certainly read the book to check how accurate his “prediction” was.
Secret hideout
Reading can be a kind of addition to another game. For example, build a secret hideout. In a private house, a basement, attic or any outbuilding is well suited for these purposes.
The apartment can accommodate a glazed balcony or storage room. If neither is available, build a shelter out of pillows and blankets. Many of today's adults only 10-15 years ago were building magical castles, which were denied access to parents. It's time to pass on the family tradition.
Build a hut while the child is away. This will come as a real surprise to him. In order not to be bored in the "castle", offer to take a book with you. In the shelter, you can read by highlighting the text with a flashlight. Prolonged reading by the light of a flashlight can be harmful. Be sure to explain this to the children. The child must understand that reading is in itself a very interesting and exciting process, and in order to enjoy it, it is not at all necessary to hide in a shelter of pillows and blankets.
A fairy tale about you
It is extremely difficult to surprise modern children with anything. Technological progress has gone too far. Perhaps the reading hut will not look convincing enough in their eyes.
In this case, take an old story book and put your child's name in place of the main character's name in a few fairy tales. The name can be typed on a computer, then printed and pasted into a book. You can also just carefully paint over the name of the character with a text corrector.
While reading a fairy tale, suddenly "discover" that the main character's name is Dima ("So this is a fairy tale about you!"). The child will not be able to remain indifferent to the story that is written about him. After reading 1-2 pages, tell your child that you are tired or that you have urgent business. If he wants, then let him finish reading the tale on his own. It won't take long to persuade.
A storyteller for himself
Creativity can also become an incentive for reading. When the child knows enough fairy tales, invite him to write his own story. The book in which the fairy tale will be written can be both classical and more modern - electronic.
A parent should help make the paper version.
The easiest way to make is to buy a ready-made notebook, notebook or notebook. Children can try themselves not only as storytellers, but also as illustrators. Fans of drawing will certainly want to demonstrate their skills. If the child does not have a penchant for drawing, give him old magazines from which he can cut out the necessary pictures.
Recommendations to parents
The child should not guess that he is taught to love reading. Otherwise, he will simply hate books. Don't make reading a tiresome and unpleasant undertaking. Do not forget that in school children will have to read voluminous works of fiction. If they develop an aversion to communicating with books from childhood, certain difficulties may arise during their school years, and books will turn from good friends once and for all into bitter enemies. Be creative so that in the minds of your children, reading is associated only with joyful moments of pleasant leisure time with the family.
It is best to take turns reading.
After 3-4 pages, pass the book to the child. Next page of it. Since the reading speed of children is less than that of adults, you should not require reading too large volumes.
A bit about children's attention
We should not forget that children cannot concentrate their attention on something for a long time. You need to take breaks while reading. The time for a break comes when the child becomes restless, distracted, tries to find some entertainment for himself, looks around.
When choosing literature, try to give preference to those books that contain a small amount of unfamiliar words. An incomprehensible word will surely attract the attention of the child and make him ask what it means. If a new lexical item does not find a place in the baby's mind, try marking the new word in one way or another when it occurs in the text. You can jump, raise your hand, clap your hands, etc. This method is well suited for kinesthetic learners, whose memory is associated with sensations received during touch and movement.
The presence of peers stimulates children, creates a sense of some rivalry. The child always strives to show himself in front of his peers from the best side. Arrange joint classes with your friends who have children. Perhaps they are planning to go to the theater or to a business meeting, but there is no one to leave the child with. Friends will be grateful to you for your offer. Prepare the children in advance for the fact that they will have to compete. Set a sweet prize for the winner in the nominations: for the fastest reading, for the best diction, and others. Friendship must win.
Author: Vitaly Dubyna
Six Ways to Make Reading Interesting - Child Development
For some children, reading is very difficult, tiring and not at all fun. Therefore, in order to interest a child in reading, parents need to show ingenuity, as well as turn to the experience of other parents and teachers, which will help achieve the desired goal.
Among all the tips and tricks on how to turn reading into an exciting activity, we have identified six of the most effective.
Option 1: read the right books
Nothing lessens the motivation to read than a child trying to read, say, a Dostoyevsky novel instead of a book like The Kid and Carlson on the Roof by Astrid Lindgren , more appropriate for his reading level.
Make sure that your child reads books that really suit him, and not books that are too complicated, which can cause internal tension and discourage him from opening a book for years to come. In order to choose the right books for your child, use the simple "Rule of Five Fingers". Remember: the extreme complexity of the book is equal to the demotivation of the child.
Option #2: Give Children the Right to Choose a Book
Children love the feeling that they can make a difference in their lives. So if you're heading to a children's bookstore or children's library, let your little one load all the books they're interested in into the basket. This approach will encourage the child to open the most attractive book for him as soon as he comes home and immerse himself in its fascinating world with interest.
Way #3: Go beyond regular books (use audio and e-books)
Did you know that listening to audiobooks also counts as reading? Yes, this is aural comprehension that is not related to visual recognition of letters and punctuation marks, but this way of reading is also useful, and here's why: it allows you to replenish vocabulary and gain knowledge on various topics, including literary devices and literary turns. And the best thing about this is that the child is much less tired and more focused on the story itself, which helps him feel the magic of this exciting activity. And that's the key to loving reading.
Also, don't forget to read books with electronic devices such as e-readers or tablets. Because many children are mesmerized by the latest technology, high-tech devices can make reading very tempting.
And finally, remember about children's magazines with a minimum amount of text and a maximum number of illustrations. Do not forget that this is also reading, or at least a powerful springboard to it.
Method #4: Create a fabulous reading space in your home
Create a reading space in your home that your child will want to spend as long as possible. For example, a small tent, carpets with oriental patterns, lamps inviting you to a fairy tale, pillows in patterned covers, posters with fairy-tale and cartoon characters, as well as a shelf with your favorite toys. Create an atmosphere of fairy tale, celebration and entertainment, and then put a book in the center and start reading with intonations that match the created atmosphere. The story continues. The child is immersed in the fairy-tale world of stories.
Option 5: let your child be a little naughty
To make reading a child feel at ease and feel some benefits, try allowing him the following types of indulgence: .
