What are good ways to read more and how can I read more effectively?

Answer 1

Hi! This is a great question, and it’s wonderful you want to read more.

If you want to read more, the best thing you can ever do is find ways to enjoy yourself. Don’t stress out about what you’re reading- it doesn’t have to be classic literature, or about serious subjects, or even have perfect grammar. It still counts. Read about topics you find interesting. When you can, read in places and positions you feel comfortable, even if that means lying on the kitchen floor in soft pajamas. Read formats that appeal to you: graphic novels, magazine articles, ebooks, comics, blogs, manga... whatever you like. The thing about reading is that it’s not about sentences and paragraphs; it’s about being told a story. Every good piece of writing tells a story, even short blog posts and non-fiction. Your #1 goal is to figure out the conditions that let you relax, stop focusing on specific words and sentences, and forget about everything except enjoying the story.

With anything related to reading and learning, the first thing to do is figure out your learning style. There are different theories about learning styles, but a common one divides people into visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners. You can easily google examples of those learning types or even a find a quiz on which one you are, but you can also ask yourself questions about how you take in and process information. Does it help you if someone explains something to you? Or if they show you? Do you like listening to podcasts or things like that? Do you find it helpful if there are charts or images to explain information? Do you use your finger to follow along as you read, or like to read out loud as you go? Do you fidget a lot?

It’s always easier if you don’t try to force yourself to learn (or read, in this case) in a way that isn’t natural to you. If you have trouble sitting still, get an exercise ball to sit on while you’re reading so you can bounce, or even gum to chew on if you’re in public. Try reading out loud or following the words with your finger. If you’re someone who likes listening, there is absolutely nothing wrong with audiobooks! It’s not cheating! There’s nothing inherently superior about looking at words on a page instead of listening to them. Think about it- there really is no objective reason that reading text is ‘better’ than listening to it (and I say that as someone who loves reading and can’t focus on listening to almost anything).

However, you also asked how to be a more effective reader, which brings up the point that even if reading isn’t better, it’s still very necessary. We also need to define what counts as effective reading. I definitely don’t think it means reading faster. I would say being an effective reader means understanding what you’re reading so it all fits together as you go. You don’t have to go back and reread sections you missed the first time, and you can easily tell someone about what you just read, or answer questions about it.

The first step is the same as above: figure out what your personal perfect conditions for consuming a story are. Spend plenty of time doing it the way you enjoy, so you really recognize the difference between understanding the story and just reading a bunch of sentences in a row. Focus on the feeling of understand the story; the next step is learning how to get that feeling even if you can’t read exactly what/how you want to.

Start putting together different tactics. Read ordinary books (hopefully still about topics you’re at least interested in!), but pause regularly to summarize what you just read and make sure you understand its place in the story. You can talk out loud as if you’re telling someone about it, or draw a picture to illustrate it... whatever works. If audiobooks are your thing, practice by listening to one while following along in in the book (use your finger to follow the words). Try reading out loud, maybe even moving around, maybe even doing voices like when you were little! Read more slowly and practice saying each sentence in your head, as if you’re trying to tell someone what you’re reading. Always remember what it feels like to understand the story, so you notice as soon as you switch to just reading sentences or not understanding something. When you notice, pause and go back. Read it again, slowly, and imagine yourself telling someone- what tone of voice would you use? What words would you emphasize to make them understand?

So: figure out what you need to do to most enjoy a story. Do those things a lot! Don’t feel bad or guilty about your reading level, or what kind of stories you enjoy, or what you do in order to enjoy them. Then start to figure out what tricks you can use to read everything as a story. Pay careful attention so you notice when you lose track of the story, then go back and find it again.