15 Tips And Tricks To Actually Read More Books In 2018

Become the book reader you've always wanted to be.

1. Set a realistic number of how many books you want to read this year.

Goodreads

Goodreads has a feature where you can pledge how many books you plan to read in 2018, and it might get intimidating if you see your friends plan on reading 50 or 60 books this year. If you are easing into reading more, start by setting it at 12 books, which works out to one book a month. If you find yourself reading at a faster rate, you can always adjust it! Another way to track the books you've read is to create a page in your bullet journal like this one.

2. Determine a set amount of time or pages to read per day.

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I tend to get the most reading done in sprints, usually in 30-minute or one-hour chunks of time. Another goal could be to read 20 pages or two chapters a day. Don't try to start off thinking you'll read 100 pages a day — you'll get worn out way too fast.

3. Figure out which time of day is the best for you to read.

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I used to always read before I went to bed, but I would get sleepy very fast and have to quit reading early. I learned the best times for me to read would be in the morning while drinking tea, to and from work on the subway, and when I wake up on the weekends. After a few weeks, it didn't feel like a chore to get my reading sprints in; rather, it becomes the times of day that I look forward to and cherish.

4. Create a reading-friendly environment at home.

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This could be as simple as storing your books in a very visible place in your house so it's always on your mind. Plus, if you keep seeing books you really want to read sitting on your shelf, you'll want to start reading them faster! A more extreme version of this is to get rid of all televisions in your house so you're more likely to pick up a book. You can start by moving the TV outside of your bedroom first to see if it increases your reading time.

5. Get a library card. RIGHT NOW.

PBS

Unlimited access to free books is a no-brainer. If you don't already have a library card, get one right now!! There's something so calming about spending an afternoon exploring your local library and finding a copy of that book you've heard so much about to check out. If they don't have the book you want, you can place your name on the hold list, and you can get the hard copy or ebook version when it's available. IT'S A MAGICAL PLACE, Y'ALL.

6. Carry a book everywhere.

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I personally read a mixture of physical books and ebooks, but no matter where I go, I ALWAYS have a book with me. You'll soon find you have lots of small chunks of free time in your day—like waiting for a train or stuck in the pickup line waiting for your kid to get out of school—that you can fill with a few more pages of your book.

7. Consider using your phone to read.

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Having ebooks on your phone means you're literally never without a book. There are times (like when I'm absolutely squished on the subway during rush hour) when it's so much easier to just open up my library app on my phone than to take out a print book or to carry one around. In fact, it might be a good idea to delete all the other apps that could distract you (Facebook, Instagram, Candy Crush etc.) so your only option for entertainment on your phone is reading.

8. Start listening to audiobooks.

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So this is a bit of a workaround, but if you have a really long driving commute every day and don't have much time when you can actually read, audiobooks are a great choice. Consider listening to a compelling book series so you get hooked on it, which will make your commute fly by. Oh, and many libraries give you access to rent free audiobooks as well. DID I MENTION HOW AWESOME THE LIBRARY IS?!

9. Buy used books at local bookstores.

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Nothing makes my soul feel better than giving a used book a new home while also supporting a local business. If you're in the NYC area, Housing Works Bookstore sells donated books at discounted prices, and 100 percent of the profits go to charity. I've found some of my most treasured books for $1 at this beautiful place! And if you live somewhere that doesn't have any good local bookstore, you can find used copies on Amazon for even the most popular books.

10. Start a book club with your friends.

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The second I finish a book I love, all I want to do is talk to my friends about it. If there's a book you and your friends have all been dying to read, decide to read it at the same time and start your own impromptu book club. That way, you'll all be on the same page and freak out at the same time over that mind-blowing plot twist.

11. Or join a virtual community of readers.

BuzzFeed

Maaaaay we suggest Page Turners by BuzzFeed?! It's a new challenge/online community that'll help you pick a new book to read each month and encourage you to actually finish it! Instead of everyone picking the same book, we will focus on a different genre each month, and you can pick whatever book on your reading list that fits the genre. What's also great is that you'll have a built-in community of other avid readers that can give you suggestions on what to read next.

12. Host a book swap party with your friends.

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Get some wine, cheese, and all your gently used books that need a new home. If you've finished a book, you should share the love by trading it in for a friend's book you haven't read. Plus, it keeps your books so fresh that you'll start heading to your bookcase and treating it like your own personal library.

13. Read the book before the movie comes out.

BuzzFeed

Movie releases in 2018 are FULL of amazing book-to-film adaptations, so you can use that as a reading guide. It's always fun to compare if the book or movie was better, so use this list of books that are being adapted for the big screen this year to guide your reading.

14. Don’t be afraid to quit a book.

IFC

This was the hardest lesson for me to learn this past year. There were many books I forced myself to finish just from sheer determination or because I heard it was soooo good from so many people. In the end, I wound up taking too long to finish books I actually did not enjoy reading. Life is way too short to read bad books, so if you find yourself 100 pages into a book and absolutely hating it, stop reading and try something else. You'll thank yourself in the long run.

15. Subscribe to the BuzzFeed Books newsletter!

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