When you come across people who are content with curling up alone in a bed, their back to the world and a book on their hands, do you feel like something is amiss with them? Or do you find it difficult to keep your eyes on a book for an hour straight or may be two?
Well, below are some suggestions that could help you cultivate an eccentric reading habit:
See A Doctor.
Yeah, this may sound kind of too drastic a move but it is very important to ascertain if there may be a vision impairment that could hinder you from being able to focus on prints and the good thing about seeing a doctor early is that most of these impairments can be corrected and soon even people who use reading glasses can read without them.
Decide What You Want To Read.
Though there are people who can read the label on a bottle with as much excitement as they would read an award winning book, this may not be you. So, decide what you like. Never force yourself to read something because everyone is reading it, if A Song of Ice and Fire does not excite you, drop it and pick up a Pacesetter book!
Read Also: NLNG Nigerian Prize For Literature Shortlist, Eriata Oribhabhor Gives Advice.
Time, Place and Comfort.
Setting out time to read in a very busy world is difficult because truly rare are people who are paid to read (they exist anyway). So, find some time even if short, get a good place, it can be quiet or if you like with music playing and try to get comfortable. Nothing kills the joy of reading than having to flex your cramped muscles every few minutes.
Take Care Of Your Priorities.
Are there errands you want to run? Do them before you pick up that book are your interest suffers or in some cases, the errand suffers. Multi tasking that includes reading takes more than an amateur skill level, so do every other thing that needs to be done before you start reading.
Try Harder.
Because truly there are books that one struggles through the first few pages, either because the story is completely unfamiliar or the writer was not fully awake at the beginning but be sure that in the middle of a good book, you start to count the remaining pages with trepidation. Therefore, don’t drop the book immediately you are losing focus, keep going.
Read In Sprints.
Marathon reading is bad enough that it makes the story fade immediately the book is closed and since you don’t have a deadline to meet, read in short bursts. Pause. Think about what you are reading.
You Can Also Read: Man Booker Prize 2017: Short Listed Writers Here!
Join A Book Club.
No. I didn’t say join a cult, it’s a club. Though, sometimes I cannot tell the difference with a straight face, but there you have it. Reading gets boring when you cannot share the experience with others; it keeps boiling in your chest when you have no one to tell why you were in tears when the character killed herself, so join a book club as soon as you start to read.
e-Readers Are Not The Enemy.
No writer worth their salt would even try to tell you that hard copies are different from soft copies (preferences may crop up, but they are minor), so get eBooks too. They allow you carry your books anywhere and without physical labor, unless you plan on carrying a desktop, then …
Treat Yourself.
We are not at war, at least not yet. While reading, you can have a snack handy though you should avoid something oily to avoid damaging your books and please watch your weight because we have enough stereotyped people saying avid readers are weird and have their heads stuck in the clouds so adding obesity to the list of stereotyping would do us no good.
So, welcome to the group. Hope you have a turbulent journey through your books. Which of these works for you and what would you suggest? Share with us in the comment boxes.
Source: Wikileaks.
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