My little rule for starting a new book is to be sure I have enough time to read the first 50 pages in one sitting. After that point I’m usually fine to dip in and out.
Not you being embarrassed about a 4 hour daily average of screen time. Mine is almost double a lot of days and I hate it. Really am trying to reduce the scrolling addiction and getting back into reading is my plan of attack! Loved this video ❤️❤️❤️
I developed my strategy for reading a high volume of books while I was doing an undergraduate degree in English: I set a deadline (usually seven days), then divide the number of pages in the book by that number. That tells me how many pages I have to read each day. I write that out on a post-it note which I use as a bookmark, as well as the exact pages that I have to read each day (ex, Thurs: 34-97, Fri: 98-145, etc.). It's so easy to read when I have a set number of pages, plus it's so satisfying crossing off each day once I'm done reading. Hope this helps someone!
likewise for my personal TBR and I’ll sprinkle additional « candy book » on top which have no goals but are just fun and easy. It helps me when I’m reading dry material to continue day after day knowing there will be some literature dessert.
It's so funny for me reading this because I did this for books I had to read for school because otherwise I would stop after a few pages 😅 This way I would finish the book but now, reading books for fun, I never thought of doing the same thing !
I'm just exiting my "post-academia reading trauma avoidance" phase. I'm buzzing because I've read like 3.5 books in the last 6-8 months 😂 personally, I need to take all the pressure off reading and just remind myself that I love it. If I read once a week, I'm happy!
same here, I couldn't read anything for almost a year after I graduated. Then I started by reading before bed everyday - even if it was just a page and fiction only, so it was fun and didn't feel like I had to memorize anything
It took me about five years to start reading for pleasure after a high school English assignment that demanded we read all sorts of stuff that we wouldn't normally enjoy! It totally broke my habit of reading for pleasure, which was the opposite of its intention. Blimmin' high school, eh?
Like many of us, I have a job that makes me quite unhappy. I have a lot of strategies to have stuff at work that does make me happy to keep the whole day from sucking, so I spend most of my lunch breaks reading. I also live alone so I can just listen to audiobooks while I do nearly anything at home.
I’m so sorry Kathryn, this was me a couple years ago so I know how miserable it is. I’m glad you fill your day with lots of good reading but I hope a job you enjoy more is an option for you somewhere down the line ❤
That "establishing hour," tip is sooooo important for me 😂. I'm also a mood reader and 90% of the time I pick up a book and think, "oh no, this opening is kinda bad." But then in retrospect my opinion ALWAYS changes because it definitely takes me a FULL hour to really get into a book.
At the start of march I decided I'd make a conscious effort to read more. Up until March 2017 I would read 2-3 books a week and then life changed negatively and those 6 months impacted my reading for 6 years! No more I thought, and in just under a month I've read 6 books. Turns out prioritising myself in mum life was what I needed to break a cycle that started long before becoming a mum
I started getting back into reading about a year ago by rereading the Percy Jackson series for about 10 minutes a day because that was something I knew I’d definitely be able to do pretty much everyday. Setting deliberately low expectations for myself helped me get over a lot of the barriers I previously had with reading. I also almost exclusively read ebooks because I can set the page colour, font, and font size to something that actually works for me, and I have continuous scrolling on so I don’t get distracted by what’s coming up!
I also suffer from "letting my eyes wander on the right handside page after turning it", I can't tell how often I end up spoiling myself... I sometimes put a sheet of paper behind the page I am reading, or close my eyes when turning the page. The struggle is real!
I mostly read in my bed for like 20 minutes every evening. At the moment I'm reading Priory of the Orange Tree which is a looooong fantasy book which is probably gonna take me a while unless I get really hooked and start reading it outside of my bed time routine
I joined storygraph's read a page or minute a day challenge in January and after a whole month, it just stuck. them bringing in the reading streak function and letting me see my progress in a chart has definitely helped me keep going and knowing that I just need to read a page a day even if I'm at the start of the book and the going is slow has been a game-changer. I've read my yearly average in less than 4 months, haha
Speaking of great audio books, my kid and I are listening to the audio version of the how to train your dragon series. When we started the first book, he said, "That sounds like Scrooge McDuck." I said, that's right, it's David Tennant (of the new Ducktails, also recommend). Now when it's time to read he says "It's time for David Tennant to read to us."
If I may add a suggestion, I've been working through The 1619 Project for probably a year. The problem is that I do the bulk of my reading in bed before I go to sleep, and you can't really read such a disturbing book at night. I've started reading it Saturday morning, which for me is a leisurely time without other obligations. Scheduling a time to work through difficult books can be helpful.
The best thing I did for myself and also for my reading habits, is just switch reading time during the day when I usually scroll on my phone. for me, it's while eating breakfast, on public transport, and before bed. I do have dedicated times during the day when I read, but switching scrolling to reading has helped a lot not only with reading more but also with my mental health. you do need a few days of gentle discipline to make it a habit because the force is strong with scrolling.
I just listened to Stone Blind on audio and I highly recommend reading it that way! Personally, I found that when reading it with my eyes the tone/vibe Haynes was going for was lost quite a bit, but when hearing Natalie Haynes’ narration (I love an author narrated audiobook!) I realised she was meant to be poking fun at certain characters/being a bit tongue in cheek. Helped me “get” the book a lot more that way! :)
I'm not trying to achieve any great target but I've been in a massive reading slump and between one thing an another I hadn't fully read a single book since this time last year. I took a few little ideas from this video and low and behold, I've finished 3 books this week 🎉
the lengths you've gone to for structure as a mood reader are SO impressive 🤯 i'm a very much not-mood reader, so i order my tbr in a category sequence, five books at a time, and clock 100 pages a day, pretty much every day--one book at a time, always. love this glimpse into your system, i never would've come up with it!
Well done, Leena! I used to read constantly, but with worsening health issues the last few years, I often don't have the energy or focus to read in any format, especially if I want to socialize/play a game online. Video essays are filling the reading gap for me at the moment and I check out some library books you and Jen Campbell mention.
I started reading again when I joined a book club in 2020. It forced me to keep up. Last year I read 60 books! 44 so far this year. It's just a part of my life now❤ One tip: Read with me videos. Alone at night I feel a bit itchy sitting in the quiet. But throwing a Read With Kate vid up on the telly makes me feel safe, motivated and social while reading ❤❤
I never even considered that I'm reading the 'wrong' books for the train! What a clever but simple trick to look at page numbers... every time I catch my subway and ride I think to myself 'wow, I didn't have enough time to finish this!' and still I've never thought about that as a solution!
I've just been on a short trip and read at least one book every day. It's been years since I've read this much, this fast, and I loved it! Reminds me of my childhood when I went to the library every week for a new load of books.
The establishing hour is such a good tip. I often struggles with high fantasy (and some scifis) in audiobook, but when it is a subsequent rome - no problem. I guess that's it, after one hour I would know the world enough, to be able to follow it on audio, or in the very short increments in bus or somewhere.
I'm reading NW by Zadie Smith at the moment and this is definitely a book that takes some time to get into. So your tip to spend an hour with a book at the beginning is really good actually. I'm a big mood reader as well and always read several books parallel. This has helped me to avoid a reading slump for years.
My fav bit from NW by Zadie Smith is in the opening paragraph, "a grim girl on the third floor screams Anglo-Saxon at nobody. Juliet balcony, projecting for miles. It ain't like that. Nah it ain't like that. Don't you start."
I'm currently unemployed so have a lot of spare time. But my attention span is terrible and I'm also bad at sticking to something. I've been at home for a couple of hours so could've read but what have I been doing? Watching Booktube and random other videos
I don’t travel much at the moment so I changed T to “too anxious, need a comfy low stakes book” 😂 really loved this video, thanks for sharing! Can’t wait to reorganize my TBR
The audiobook of Demon Copperhead is absolutely fantastic! Highly, HIGHLY recommend listening to that book. The same can be said for the audiobook of Cursed Bread (a mesmerizing read/listen) and Wandering Souls (a spare book made richer by hearing the characters' voices). I would not recommend the audiobook of Homesick; better to read a physical copy of that one. Happy reading, Leena!
I did my biggest read ever last month - 12 books! I was so proud of myself, but it is not my usual pattern. I read a lot traveling, then I did the trans rights readathon, then I realised I had 3 books due back soon, so raced through one, and did the next two by the 4th of this month. I could have done with a plan for the readathon and taking books out less at a time, but it was kind of nice to be able to do so many! If I have a big goal again, I will try this out. At the moment, taking a moment to slow and really enjoy everything I am reading because it is for fun~
I also have categories: I always need to be reading at least 1 children's book, 1 historical romance, 1 fantasy and 1 facts/knowledge book. Don't need such an elaborate planning though, storygraph's enough😊
I appreciate all the ways you explain why you do things the way you do, and how you furthermore emphasize that everyone has their own preferences! I haven't read in a while, and I think the idea of spending an hour to get familiar with a book is very useful, even if I don't plan on slamming thru 16 books quite yet. Also I LOVE TRELLO it's so useful, particularly for flexible organization like you demonstrated!! Also being able to see my notes across devices, so I'm never like "oh man, I wrote that down but it's in a notebook at home"
I read on trains and when I am waiting (at an appointment, when in a long line) and in the evenings and weekends, but it seems rather sporadic. I was inspired by your previous assessment of your own unread books and I reorganized my library, donated a stack of books, and discovered that I had just over 100 unread books that I really want to read. I’m already on book 26, but this video is immediately applicable because I’m not really getting into the current book. I’m going to try giving it a proper hour of my undivided attention and see how far I get. Love your content and your vibes! Thank you for being you ❤️
I don't think I will be trying this way of reading anytime soon, but I am inspired by the planning Trello system you have in place! I think I will steal it for other purposes ^^ And I just finished "finding the mother tree" by Simard. She tells the story about her life and research in discovering the wisdom of the forest. Absolutely loved it.
I looooove reading in (or on if it's summer) bed. now that my daughter is nearly 5 I've been able to start reading more again and it's bliss for my brain. I've even started reading on the couch in the day when she's playing - I think it helps her in her independent play, but also sets the example that quiet moments can be filled with glorious books. Tbh I started that train early with her and she loves books
I just finished reading Bunny by Mona Awad and I really loved it!! I usually read in my bed (I live in a studio apartment witj no space for furniture so if I want to sit, it's the bed) but I used to love reading on subways and my favorite places to read of all time are probably all near or on my college campus (to which I no longer have access) or at the park.
That book is amazing! Though there's nothing quite like Bunny, you might also enjoy Brutes by Dizz Tate, which has a similarly gritty and unsettling writing style.
I’ve gotten back into reading lately and what I’ve found helpful is having a minimum reading goal everyday. So for my first two books my minimum goal was 5 pages a day everyday. Most days I’d end up reading more, but having that minimum goal got me in the habit of reading each day while not feeling overwhelmed.
My reading life changed when I started reading on my phone and swapped my scrolling time for book time. I was really attached to my reading ritual, with a physical book and a cup of tea in my favorite chair, but found that somehow I never got round to it. But I got over the mental barrier I apparently had around e-books and downloaded an app to my phone. At first it felt a bit sacrilegious, just dipping into a book whenever I had a bit of idle time, but at the end of the day it brought reading back into my life.
Sounds good. I used to the category thing prettyuch subconsciously. I had a book for breakfast (generally a spiritual book), a book for commute (audio obviously), and a book for bed/ armchair.
FANTASTIC tips Leena! Thank you! My favorite places to read are on the couch or in a coffee shop (physical books) or on public transport/in the shower (audio).
What a fun video! It turns out that I have already got equivalent methods/tips to my reading habits that are customised to my life! Non-fiction is my before bed and lunchbreak reading, audio is what I listen to when I'm doing a big chunk of tedious drawing for uni, and fiction is what I go to for longer chunks of time. I mostly read historical fiction so I just sort my stack by year and tend to pick based on what time period I'm vibing with at the time. Also I started reading Five People You Meet in Heaven last night! I bought it after your book burning video and it seems so far like exactly the literary balm I've been wanting for my recent bereavement. Thank you Doctor Leena :)
I love the establishing hour so much! So many times I get lost in books and lose track of all the characters, so that would be really helpful. Right now I'm reading The Yellow Kitchen by Margaux Vialleron, it's a beautiful book about women and friendship and food and possibly also some queer vibes (let's see where it ends up...). Also the cover is gorgeous. I used to be a train reader but I have less patience for it now because of all the background noise. My favourite and ideal place to read is just snuggled up in a big comfy chair with a blanket and a cup of tea and some peace and quiet! More granny mode than goblin mode!
Honestly, this video is so brilliant that I am rewatching it (and, yes, taking notes!) and even told my partner about it. Any tips on not getting breakfast splatter on the book? 😅
12:00 I like this! I do something similar when I listen to audiobooks. It’s hard for me to just listen to audiobooks if I havent at least read and listened to the first 25% or first hour whichever comes first, especially with fantasy books for a lot of the reasons you listed, if I can read and listen to the character names/ world-building, it’s easier to switch to Audio only if I’m doing chores or driving
Reading in the shower is genius! Why haven't I thought of that! I do often listen to music, we have a JBL speaker that's waterproof so I have my phone in the corner of the bathroom and the speaker much closer by. It gives better sound than my phone (actuall bass tones?!) and I can change the volume with my wet hands without fearing for the life of my phone!
This is good advice! I loved reading as a kid but never ever do it anymore. I'm an orchestra musician so my ears can get kind of tired from work - I really think it would be nice to spend some time reading paper. I travel a lot so maybe its time for some train books
I've been reading much more this spring and I'm actually really proud of myself. With lack of commute, i think the initial thing is just to find time to read, but now that ive carved out some space for it, im progressing rather fast. I like what you said in your anti-reading goal video (lol what a turnaround) about reading being something you practice. Whenever I haven't read in a while, i start with a low number of pages per day, and then increase the number and times per day I read as I go... I find it really works for me! I think you gotta find what works for you and makes you get back into it easily and comfortably, not forcing yourself
I loved the audio version of Stone Blind! When I listen to audiobooks I will often put on a sleep timer so I can listen in bed and it’ll turn off at the end of the chapter if I fall asleep; Bandit Queens was literally my pass out book
Best place to start a new book: in the BATH. We're stuck with each other and we're going to have to get to know one another, OR I'll have to get up and actually wash my hair (which is so boring and I like putting it off as long as I can) before stepping out... Currently reading: Oryx & Crake - Margaret Atwood (there's a lot of confussing terminology, maybe primarily because english isn't my first language...) A video jam-packed with good tips, and the bootcamp-vibes where just 👌
I love the idea of creating a Trello board to plan out what to read this year. I have had so much fun setting up my board. I’m hoping to work through a good chunk of my TBR pile but have left room for fun, new books that’s I’ll discover throughout the year. So satisfying to see it all laid out on the board.
My recommendation is using Forest on your phone as a way to focus on your book. It helps me to intentionally commit to read for a set amount of time and to keep me from scrolling/answering texts. Enabling do-not-disturb mode on your phone can be helpful too. I loved the 'ADAPT' way of categorizing your reads. A refreshing way at 'hacking' mood reading, really. Thanks Leena!
OMG. The organizational/data dork in me LOVES this. Also, I kind of love planning my reading just as much as I love reading (my numerous spreadsheets show for this). Can't wait to try a similar method!
Really excited for your review video on all these! Would I watch a video on all your Trello boards? Yes, yes I would! Highly recommend for sewing planning too!
Great tips here - thank you! I always arrive at the school to pick up my kids 30 minutes early so that I can read in the car for half an hour. My favourite place to read is in my armchair in the lounge. I'm currently reading Other Women by Emma Flint. Really enjoying it.
This was great. I’ve seen a few videos about how to read more, but I think this was easily the best. I especially loved the sections on categorizing books and making sure you take some time to dig into the book at the beginning. I’ve gotten into a thing where I’m reading 4-5 books at a time, and finishing 8-11 in a month. A couple of years ago I would have told you that was impossible. I do categorize my books, but slightly differently: Audio (yes!, audio books rock! I like them best for classics and non-fiction), short stories and collections, physical books, and Kindle books. Oh, and Graphic Novels. I typically plan my reading around the times of day. Morning reading is for physical books, non-fiction, and long reads. Lunch is for short stories. Afternoon during work is for audio. Early evening is for fast paced fiction. Before bed is for re-reads or books in a series I’m working on. Graphic novels come out on the weekends. I do plan out how many chapters I want to read in each book each day, and try to stick to it. And if I fall behind, I try to catch up ASAP. I’m on track to read over 100 books this year, which feels nutty to me!
The thing about an establishing hour can be really good for anyone doing writing sprints for camp nanowrimo aswell. Having a longer period of a sprint at the beginning can help me get into writing mode.
It's all a bit complicated to me. I like to just pick up a book when I feel like it. I can see how it would help for a specific reading goal, though. I love the idea of the establishing hour. And the reading cafe break sounds like heaven.
I found this so interesting but I know this is never gonna work for me 😂 I can’t process audiobooks (or podcasts!) at all which is the WORST as a keen reader. I’ve tried so many times but I just don’t know what’s happening in the book and I constantly have to rewind 😢 also I get really badly travel sick if I read in the car/bus/tram which cuts off even more reading time. It feels like I’m just fucked and will never be able to read large quantities rip I also don’t want to be reading as I’m doing other things (eating, showering…) because part of my mindfulness practice as a Buddhist is doing things with intention, paying attention to the present, to my body and my thoughts, so when doing something, only doing that one thing Also I wanna read more non-fiction and I think a different approach is needed again for that!
I definitely agree with having several books on the go in different places. I have a downstairs book, a bed book, a commute e-book, a non commute e-book, and then sometimes an audio
I'm not at the point yet where I can read 2 books a week, but over the past year I've read more than I ever have by figuring out the best way for me to read multiple books at once. Reading non-fiction as audiobooks has done wonders for me, I love listening to these while I'm cooking, cleaning, taking walks, etc. I prefer to read long, heavy books as e-books, otherwise holding them and lugging them around becomes bothersome. I've also decided to read "chunk" books (eg. short stories, essays, books like Letters to a Young Poet) alongside my other books instead of trying to read them in one go, because with these I can comfortably read smaller chunks spaced out over a longer period of time without losing track of the plot, characters, etc.
NGL if I did your organising thing I think I'd read even less cos I LOVE organising so much I'd just keep changing the organising system! I'm lucky if I read one book a month cos I'm a slow reader even if I sit down and read for an hour or more I don't read much in terms of pages, but I've just always been that way. I did nothing but read as a kid but even then I read slowly.
I just finished reading Memphis a few weeks ago and heads up that it is not in chronological order! I personally found the jumping back and forth in time and changing perspectives a little bit hard to keep track of, actually, so it would not be a good before-bed read for me. But I loved the writing style, and the author does a great job building tension, so I would still definitely recommend it! I think you're right that reading books in several formats is very helpful for reading more. This year I added library apps like Libby and Hoopla to my phone, so I can read ebooks away from home, and I'm even (slowly) getting into audiobooks, and I am reading a lot more books than I was before.
Love that you legitimize audiobooks. I've recently discovered that my library system (Montreal doesn't just have a single library, but rather a network of connected libraries) offers ebooks and audiobooks online! I don't even have to leave the comfort of my home to get books. Sadly, a lot of the ones I'm most excited to read have wildly long waitlists (I'm talking like 12 weeks), but I add myself to the queue and read what's available in the meantime (I've maxed out the number of holds I'm allowed). Since the start of March, I've thus far read 12 books thanks to the magic of audiobooks: - White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo - Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi (I think it was on your recommendation) - Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng - Dune by Frank Herbert - The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis - The Horse and his Boy by C.S. Lewis - The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo - The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander - Good Omens by Neil Gaiman - Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren - The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner (I think another of your recommendations) - Hidden Figures Young Readers' Edition by Margot Lee Shetterly (it was more easily available than the regular version)
Lena, this is honestly amazing and I love it. The only category that doesn’t suit my lifestyle is Travel because I cycle to work, otherwise these categories are perfect and the strategies, oh my, perfection 🤌🏻 Thank you for sharing your strategies.
Definitely going to take the establishing hour tip and run with it! I'm an avid library reader so have limits on availability/format, but it's good to at least see and consider structure. Currently reading The Bread the Devil Knead at bedtime, Sense and Sensibility as an audiobook (Jane I love you but I cannot read classics physically), and Himawari House as an ebook. I usually steer away from ebooks on my phone as I don't enjoy reading pages of text like that, but it's so useful for graphic novels/comics!
Looove your ideas! I just finished "A psalm for the wild built" and it was a really comforting and poetic reading for me, also it's not very long so it's a quick read :)
my favourite place to read by far is on the plane - the disconnection from my phone, unbelievable aspect of being in a huge metal structure hurtling through the sky and simultaneously being stuck in a small boring space, converge to create the ideal environment for reading escapism.
I attempted it and did not get anywhere NEAR all 16. I’ll end up having done 10 and am pretty happy with that! Great tips though, and excellent use of Trello 💯
What an insightful video, I especially loved the tip with the establishing hour! I'm currently reading Vakuum by Phillip P- Peterson which is German sci-fi and I quite enjoy it. I prefer reading on the sofa or in a coffee shop, but I also really enjoy reading fanfiction on my phone no matter where I am.
Lol I had not realized I was actually following a similar strategy, but completely unconsciously. My categories might be a bit different. I have my Audiobooks(split by app 1.Audible 2.Scribd), my “main” (usually a book series I am reading/reserved for LONG books, fantasy series etc-Low priority/finish whenever, meant to be read slowly ), my “side” (shorter books, graphic novels or anything really-higher priority/more short term deadline ), my “scrollies”(something short and fun for my phone,separated by app 1)kindle 2)Scribd), my actual Kindle (1 book at a time usually). Out of those, anything on a device is what I use to pass out at night 😂 somehow I managed to knock 40 books so far like this in 2023.
Excellent video! I've really been wanting to fit more reading into my day to day life and this is a great video to reference, so thanks! I'm currently reading Demon Copperhead and it is on track to being one of my favourites. I'm not even half way through though 😅 although you'd forgive me for that given the length lol
My tip: If you're sitting down to read, have a goal in your head when you are going to stop. This could be reading for a certain amount of time or reading until page X. Personally, if i don't have a plan of when i'm going to stop reading, my brain keeps being like "Hey, how much longer are you going to sit here. There's a whole pile of laundry there and the kitchen should get cleaned at some point. There are a million other things you could be doing that are a better use of your time, so are we almost done now?" which makes it really hard to focus and enjoy what you're reading. If you have a specific goal, you can tell your brain "I'll do those things once i've reached this page or when the timer goes off, now shut up!"
My little rule for starting a new book is to be sure I have enough time to read the first 50 pages in one sitting. After that point I’m usually fine to dip in and out.
i do the same!
That's a great idea!
@@LittlePinkBonBon I’m I’m ht
Oh wow that’s a great idea! I’ll do that in % as I read more audiobooks
I'd add that the more you read the easier it gets to add it to your life routine, so being "always reading something" really helps for this.
Not you being embarrassed about a 4 hour daily average of screen time. Mine is almost double a lot of days and I hate it. Really am trying to reduce the scrolling addiction and getting back into reading is my plan of attack! Loved this video ❤️❤️❤️
Jesus. That's loads! How about deleting the apps? That's the only thing that stopped me
Mine was over 13h on friday and I don't even know where those hours came from. I'm working full time!
Mine is more than 12h every day…
That's insane.
I developed my strategy for reading a high volume of books while I was doing an undergraduate degree in English: I set a deadline (usually seven days), then divide the number of pages in the book by that number. That tells me how many pages I have to read each day. I write that out on a post-it note which I use as a bookmark, as well as the exact pages that I have to read each day (ex, Thurs: 34-97, Fri: 98-145, etc.). It's so easy to read when I have a set number of pages, plus it's so satisfying crossing off each day once I'm done reading. Hope this helps someone!
I do this too 🎉🎉
I did this too, from my undergraduate years to the end of my PhD, but with philosophy books 🤓
likewise for my personal TBR and I’ll sprinkle additional « candy book » on top which have no goals but are just fun and easy. It helps me when I’m reading dry material to continue day after day knowing there will be some literature dessert.
It's so funny for me reading this because I did this for books I had to read for school because otherwise I would stop after a few pages 😅 This way I would finish the book but now, reading books for fun, I never thought of doing the same thing !
This is freaky - I did the same for my English BA! It’s so satisfying to know you’re read the necessary amount each day, makes it way more managable.
I'm just exiting my "post-academia reading trauma avoidance" phase. I'm buzzing because I've read like 3.5 books in the last 6-8 months 😂 personally, I need to take all the pressure off reading and just remind myself that I love it. If I read once a week, I'm happy!
the post-academia reading avoidance is so real!! I'm also just getting back to reading once in a while ...
same here, I couldn't read anything for almost a year after I graduated. Then I started by reading before bed everyday - even if it was just a page and fiction only, so it was fun and didn't feel like I had to memorize anything
It took me about five years to start reading for pleasure after a high school English assignment that demanded we read all sorts of stuff that we wouldn't normally enjoy! It totally broke my habit of reading for pleasure, which was the opposite of its intention. Blimmin' high school, eh?
Okay, that idea of having an “establishing hour” is GOLD. I think that is something I’ve been missing. Thanks for the tips!
Anywhere comfy is a good place to read. I do love reading in bed. Like if I wake up early and no plans I just stay in bed reading
Like many of us, I have a job that makes me quite unhappy.
I have a lot of strategies to have stuff at work that does make me happy to keep the whole day from sucking, so I spend most of my lunch breaks reading.
I also live alone so I can just listen to audiobooks while I do nearly anything at home.
I’m so sorry Kathryn, this was me a couple years ago so I know how miserable it is. I’m glad you fill your day with lots of good reading but I hope a job you enjoy more is an option for you somewhere down the line ❤
That "establishing hour," tip is sooooo important for me 😂. I'm also a mood reader and 90% of the time I pick up a book and think, "oh no, this opening is kinda bad." But then in retrospect my opinion ALWAYS changes because it definitely takes me a FULL hour to really get into a book.
At the start of march I decided I'd make a conscious effort to read more. Up until March 2017 I would read 2-3 books a week and then life changed negatively and those 6 months impacted my reading for 6 years! No more I thought, and in just under a month I've read 6 books. Turns out prioritising myself in mum life was what I needed to break a cycle that started long before becoming a mum
mum life - amazing but ... oh how much sink-self and dink-self would be challenged by how the mum-self experiences time.
I started getting back into reading about a year ago by rereading the Percy Jackson series for about 10 minutes a day because that was something I knew I’d definitely be able to do pretty much everyday. Setting deliberately low expectations for myself helped me get over a lot of the barriers I previously had with reading.
I also almost exclusively read ebooks because I can set the page colour, font, and font size to something that actually works for me, and I have continuous scrolling on so I don’t get distracted by what’s coming up!
I also suffer from "letting my eyes wander on the right handside page after turning it", I can't tell how often I end up spoiling myself... I sometimes put a sheet of paper behind the page I am reading, or close my eyes when turning the page. The struggle is real!
I mostly read in my bed for like 20 minutes every evening. At the moment I'm reading Priory of the Orange Tree which is a looooong fantasy book which is probably gonna take me a while unless I get really hooked and start reading it outside of my bed time routine
My bedtime read is also Priory of the Orange Tree!
I joined storygraph's read a page or minute a day challenge in January and after a whole month, it just stuck. them bringing in the reading streak function and letting me see my progress in a chart has definitely helped me keep going and knowing that I just need to read a page a day even if I'm at the start of the book and the going is slow has been a game-changer. I've read my yearly average in less than 4 months, haha
Speaking of great audio books, my kid and I are listening to the audio version of the how to train your dragon series. When we started the first book, he said, "That sounds like Scrooge McDuck." I said, that's right, it's David Tennant (of the new Ducktails, also recommend). Now when it's time to read he says "It's time for David Tennant to read to us."
Cute lol
As Cari Cakes in Korea has said, "this is my full-time job, this is how I am able to read this much, I don't expect anyone to keep up to my pace"
"That blue light hunger" completely ended me
I got into a reading slump recently and this inspired me to start a new book. We love you Leena 🎉
If I may add a suggestion, I've been working through The 1619 Project for probably a year. The problem is that I do the bulk of my reading in bed before I go to sleep, and you can't really read such a disturbing book at night. I've started reading it Saturday morning, which for me is a leisurely time without other obligations. Scheduling a time to work through difficult books can be helpful.
The best thing I did for myself and also for my reading habits, is just switch reading time during the day when I usually scroll on my phone. for me, it's while eating breakfast, on public transport, and before bed. I do have dedicated times during the day when I read, but switching scrolling to reading has helped a lot not only with reading more but also with my mental health. you do need a few days of gentle discipline to make it a habit because the force is strong with scrolling.
I just listened to Stone Blind on audio and I highly recommend reading it that way! Personally, I found that when reading it with my eyes the tone/vibe Haynes was going for was lost quite a bit, but when hearing Natalie Haynes’ narration (I love an author narrated audiobook!) I realised she was meant to be poking fun at certain characters/being a bit tongue in cheek. Helped me “get” the book a lot more that way! :)
I'm not trying to achieve any great target but I've been in a massive reading slump and between one thing an another I hadn't fully read a single book since this time last year.
I took a few little ideas from this video and low and behold, I've finished 3 books this week 🎉
the lengths you've gone to for structure as a mood reader are SO impressive 🤯 i'm a very much not-mood reader, so i order my tbr in a category sequence, five books at a time, and clock 100 pages a day, pretty much every day--one book at a time, always. love this glimpse into your system, i never would've come up with it!
Well done, Leena! I used to read constantly, but with worsening health issues the last few years, I often don't have the energy or focus to read in any format, especially if I want to socialize/play a game online. Video essays are filling the reading gap for me at the moment and I check out some library books you and Jen Campbell mention.
I started reading again when I joined a book club in 2020. It forced me to keep up. Last year I read 60 books! 44 so far this year.
It's just a part of my life now❤
One tip: Read with me videos. Alone at night I feel a bit itchy sitting in the quiet. But throwing a Read With Kate vid up on the telly makes me feel safe, motivated and social while reading ❤❤
I never even considered that I'm reading the 'wrong' books for the train! What a clever but simple trick to look at page numbers... every time I catch my subway and ride I think to myself 'wow, I didn't have enough time to finish this!' and still I've never thought about that as a solution!
Thanks Leena, will try these tips. I tend to read many books at a time, then gradually forget some of them and just abandon reading 😅
I've just been on a short trip and read at least one book every day. It's been years since I've read this much, this fast, and I loved it! Reminds me of my childhood when I went to the library every week for a new load of books.
The establishing hour is such a good tip. I often struggles with high fantasy (and some scifis) in audiobook, but when it is a subsequent rome - no problem. I guess that's it, after one hour I would know the world enough, to be able to follow it on audio, or in the very short increments in bus or somewhere.
I agree!! I often read when falling asleep so i often don't have a clue what's happening... This will help. 😊
This is exactly the video I needed! That bit about not knowing why you love to read but never making time for it hit home. Thankyou!!
I'm reading NW by Zadie Smith at the moment and this is definitely a book that takes some time to get into. So your tip to spend an hour with a book at the beginning is really good actually.
I'm a big mood reader as well and always read several books parallel. This has helped me to avoid a reading slump for years.
My fav bit from NW by Zadie Smith is in the opening paragraph, "a grim girl on the third floor screams Anglo-Saxon at nobody. Juliet balcony, projecting for miles. It ain't like that. Nah it ain't like that. Don't you start."
I have a shameful amount of books that I'm supposedly reading in parallel at any one time. What a great way to phrase it :)
I'm currently unemployed so have a lot of spare time. But my attention span is terrible and I'm also bad at sticking to something. I've been at home for a couple of hours so could've read but what have I been doing? Watching Booktube and random other videos
I don’t travel much at the moment so I changed T to “too anxious, need a comfy low stakes book” 😂 really loved this video, thanks for sharing! Can’t wait to reorganize my TBR
The audiobook of Demon Copperhead is absolutely fantastic! Highly, HIGHLY recommend listening to that book. The same can be said for the audiobook of Cursed Bread (a mesmerizing read/listen) and Wandering Souls (a spare book made richer by hearing the characters' voices). I would not recommend the audiobook of Homesick; better to read a physical copy of that one. Happy reading, Leena!
I did my biggest read ever last month - 12 books! I was so proud of myself, but it is not my usual pattern. I read a lot traveling, then I did the trans rights readathon, then I realised I had 3 books due back soon, so raced through one, and did the next two by the 4th of this month. I could have done with a plan for the readathon and taking books out less at a time, but it was kind of nice to be able to do so many! If I have a big goal again, I will try this out. At the moment, taking a moment to slow and really enjoy everything I am reading because it is for fun~
I also have categories: I always need to be reading at least 1 children's book, 1 historical romance, 1 fantasy and 1 facts/knowledge book. Don't need such an elaborate planning though, storygraph's enough😊
I appreciate all the ways you explain why you do things the way you do, and how you furthermore emphasize that everyone has their own preferences!
I haven't read in a while, and I think the idea of spending an hour to get familiar with a book is very useful, even if I don't plan on slamming thru 16 books quite yet.
Also I LOVE TRELLO it's so useful, particularly for flexible organization like you demonstrated!! Also being able to see my notes across devices, so I'm never like "oh man, I wrote that down but it's in a notebook at home"
The ebook scrolling problem fix it idea is genius. THANK YOU LEENA!!!
Categorizing your books into different parts of your life (audio, pass-out books, travel books) sounds brilliant! thank you for sharing this Leena!
I read on trains and when I am waiting (at an appointment, when in a long line) and in the evenings and weekends, but it seems rather sporadic. I was inspired by your previous assessment of your own unread books and I reorganized my library, donated a stack of books, and discovered that I had just over 100 unread books that I really want to read. I’m already on book 26, but this video is immediately applicable because I’m not really getting into the current book. I’m going to try giving it a proper hour of my undivided attention and see how far I get.
Love your content and your vibes! Thank you for being you ❤️
Since you put this video out, I've been using your method to read more, and I can confirm that it's awesome!
I don't think I will be trying this way of reading anytime soon, but I am inspired by the planning Trello system you have in place! I think I will steal it for other purposes ^^ And I just finished "finding the mother tree" by Simard. She tells the story about her life and research in discovering the wisdom of the forest. Absolutely loved it.
I looooove reading in (or on if it's summer) bed. now that my daughter is nearly 5 I've been able to start reading more again and it's bliss for my brain. I've even started reading on the couch in the day when she's playing - I think it helps her in her independent play, but also sets the example that quiet moments can be filled with glorious books. Tbh I started that train early with her and she loves books
I just love your energy it's so infectious!
At home - in my reading chair, but outside? On the patio of a coffee shop is best! ❤
I just finished reading Bunny by Mona Awad and I really loved it!! I usually read in my bed (I live in a studio apartment witj no space for furniture so if I want to sit, it's the bed) but I used to love reading on subways and my favorite places to read of all time are probably all near or on my college campus (to which I no longer have access) or at the park.
That book is amazing! Though there's nothing quite like Bunny, you might also enjoy Brutes by Dizz Tate, which has a similarly gritty and unsettling writing style.
I’ve gotten back into reading lately and what I’ve found helpful is having a minimum reading goal everyday.
So for my first two books my minimum goal was 5 pages a day everyday. Most days I’d end up reading more, but having that minimum goal got me in the habit of reading each day while not feeling overwhelmed.
My reading life changed when I started reading on my phone and swapped my scrolling time for book time. I was really attached to my reading ritual, with a physical book and a cup of tea in my favorite chair, but found that somehow I never got round to it. But I got over the mental barrier I apparently had around e-books and downloaded an app to my phone. At first it felt a bit sacrilegious, just dipping into a book whenever I had a bit of idle time, but at the end of the day it brought reading back into my life.
Sounds good.
I used to the category thing prettyuch subconsciously. I had a book for breakfast (generally a spiritual book), a book for commute (audio obviously), and a book for bed/ armchair.
FANTASTIC tips Leena! Thank you! My favorite places to read are on the couch or in a coffee shop (physical books) or on public transport/in the shower (audio).
What a fun video! It turns out that I have already got equivalent methods/tips to my reading habits that are customised to my life!
Non-fiction is my before bed and lunchbreak reading, audio is what I listen to when I'm doing a big chunk of tedious drawing for uni, and fiction is what I go to for longer chunks of time. I mostly read historical fiction so I just sort my stack by year and tend to pick based on what time period I'm vibing with at the time.
Also I started reading Five People You Meet in Heaven last night! I bought it after your book burning video and it seems so far like exactly the literary balm I've been wanting for my recent bereavement. Thank you Doctor Leena :)
I love the establishing hour so much! So many times I get lost in books and lose track of all the characters, so that would be really helpful.
Right now I'm reading The Yellow Kitchen by Margaux Vialleron, it's a beautiful book about women and friendship and food and possibly also some queer vibes (let's see where it ends up...). Also the cover is gorgeous. I used to be a train reader but I have less patience for it now because of all the background noise. My favourite and ideal place to read is just snuggled up in a big comfy chair with a blanket and a cup of tea and some peace and quiet! More granny mode than goblin mode!
Honestly, this video is so brilliant that I am rewatching it (and, yes, taking notes!) and even told my partner about it.
Any tips on not getting breakfast splatter on the book? 😅
12:00 I like this! I do something similar when I listen to audiobooks. It’s hard for me to just listen to audiobooks if I havent at least read and listened to the first 25% or first hour whichever comes first, especially with fantasy books for a lot of the reasons you listed, if I can read and listen to the character names/ world-building, it’s easier to switch to Audio only if I’m doing chores or driving
Reading in the shower is genius! Why haven't I thought of that! I do often listen to music, we have a JBL speaker that's waterproof so I have my phone in the corner of the bathroom and the speaker much closer by. It gives better sound than my phone (actuall bass tones?!) and I can change the volume with my wet hands without fearing for the life of my phone!
While I definitely won't be reading at that pace I love the ADAPT method here! Definitly going to try that out with my own tbr
This is good advice! I loved reading as a kid but never ever do it anymore.
I'm an orchestra musician so my ears can get kind of tired from work - I really think it would be nice to spend some time reading paper. I travel a lot so maybe its time for some train books
I've been reading much more this spring and I'm actually really proud of myself. With lack of commute, i think the initial thing is just to find time to read, but now that ive carved out some space for it, im progressing rather fast. I like what you said in your anti-reading goal video (lol what a turnaround) about reading being something you practice. Whenever I haven't read in a while, i start with a low number of pages per day, and then increase the number and times per day I read as I go... I find it really works for me! I think you gotta find what works for you and makes you get back into it easily and comfortably, not forcing yourself
I loved the audio version of Stone Blind! When I listen to audiobooks I will often put on a sleep timer so I can listen in bed and it’ll turn off at the end of the chapter if I fall asleep; Bandit Queens was literally my pass out book
Sorry at 10:43 I thought you had said "scream breaks" and started to wonder if that was actually a thing and why no one had told me about it 💀.
Bahaha look, adjust from screen to scream depending on the day and circumstance, as needed 😅
Best place to start a new book: in the BATH. We're stuck with each other and we're going to have to get to know one another, OR I'll have to get up and actually wash my hair (which is so boring and I like putting it off as long as I can) before stepping out...
Currently reading: Oryx & Crake - Margaret Atwood (there's a lot of confussing terminology, maybe primarily because english isn't my first language...)
A video jam-packed with good tips, and the bootcamp-vibes where just 👌
I love the idea of creating a Trello board to plan out what to read this year. I have had so much fun setting up my board. I’m hoping to work through a good chunk of my TBR pile but have left room for fun, new books that’s I’ll discover throughout the year. So satisfying to see it all laid out on the board.
My recommendation is using Forest on your phone as a way to focus on your book. It helps me to intentionally commit to read for a set amount of time and to keep me from scrolling/answering texts. Enabling do-not-disturb mode on your phone can be helpful too.
I loved the 'ADAPT' way of categorizing your reads. A refreshing way at 'hacking' mood reading, really. Thanks Leena!
OMG. The organizational/data dork in me LOVES this. Also, I kind of love planning my reading just as much as I love reading (my numerous spreadsheets show for this). Can't wait to try a similar method!
Really excited for your review video on all these!
Would I watch a video on all your Trello boards? Yes, yes I would! Highly recommend for sewing planning too!
Great tips here - thank you! I always arrive at the school to pick up my kids 30 minutes early so that I can read in the car for half an hour. My favourite place to read is in my armchair in the lounge. I'm currently reading Other Women by Emma Flint. Really enjoying it.
This was great. I’ve seen a few videos about how to read more, but I think this was easily the best. I especially loved the sections on categorizing books and making sure you take some time to dig into the book at the beginning.
I’ve gotten into a thing where I’m reading 4-5 books at a time, and finishing 8-11 in a month. A couple of years ago I would have told you that was impossible. I do categorize my books, but slightly differently: Audio (yes!, audio books rock! I like them best for classics and non-fiction), short stories and collections, physical books, and Kindle books. Oh, and Graphic Novels. I typically plan my reading around the times of day. Morning reading is for physical books, non-fiction, and long reads. Lunch is for short stories. Afternoon during work is for audio. Early evening is for fast paced fiction. Before bed is for re-reads or books in a series I’m working on. Graphic novels come out on the weekends.
I do plan out how many chapters I want to read in each book each day, and try to stick to it. And if I fall behind, I try to catch up ASAP. I’m on track to read over 100 books this year, which feels nutty to me!
The thing about an establishing hour can be really good for anyone doing writing sprints for camp nanowrimo aswell. Having a longer period of a sprint at the beginning can help me get into writing mode.
Needed this right now, thanks for always having the best advice 💜💜
Incredible video!! I love your acronym system, and the tip about an establishing hour is genius.
It's all a bit complicated to me. I like to just pick up a book when I feel like it. I can see how it would help for a specific reading goal, though.
I love the idea of the establishing hour. And the reading cafe break sounds like heaven.
I found this so interesting but I know this is never gonna work for me 😂 I can’t process audiobooks (or podcasts!) at all which is the WORST as a keen reader. I’ve tried so many times but I just don’t know what’s happening in the book and I constantly have to rewind 😢 also I get really badly travel sick if I read in the car/bus/tram which cuts off even more reading time.
It feels like I’m just fucked and will never be able to read large quantities rip
I also don’t want to be reading as I’m doing other things (eating, showering…) because part of my mindfulness practice as a Buddhist is doing things with intention, paying attention to the present, to my body and my thoughts, so when doing something, only doing that one thing
Also I wanna read more non-fiction and I think a different approach is needed again for that!
The travel book hack blew my mind!!!
I definitely agree with having several books on the go in different places. I have a downstairs book, a bed book, a commute e-book, a non commute e-book, and then sometimes an audio
I'm not at the point yet where I can read 2 books a week, but over the past year I've read more than I ever have by figuring out the best way for me to read multiple books at once. Reading non-fiction as audiobooks has done wonders for me, I love listening to these while I'm cooking, cleaning, taking walks, etc. I prefer to read long, heavy books as e-books, otherwise holding them and lugging them around becomes bothersome. I've also decided to read "chunk" books (eg. short stories, essays, books like Letters to a Young Poet) alongside my other books instead of trying to read them in one go, because with these I can comfortably read smaller chunks spaced out over a longer period of time without losing track of the plot, characters, etc.
i'm only 5 books into the longlist but it looks like so far we've been reading them in the same order :D excited to see all your reviews!!
Very interesting! Thanks for your tips.
This is honestly so helpful love this!!
NGL if I did your organising thing I think I'd read even less cos I LOVE organising so much I'd just keep changing the organising system! I'm lucky if I read one book a month cos I'm a slow reader even if I sit down and read for an hour or more I don't read much in terms of pages, but I've just always been that way. I did nothing but read as a kid but even then I read slowly.
I just finished reading Memphis a few weeks ago and heads up that it is not in chronological order! I personally found the jumping back and forth in time and changing perspectives a little bit hard to keep track of, actually, so it would not be a good before-bed read for me. But I loved the writing style, and the author does a great job building tension, so I would still definitely recommend it! I think you're right that reading books in several formats is very helpful for reading more. This year I added library apps like Libby and Hoopla to my phone, so I can read ebooks away from home, and I'm even (slowly) getting into audiobooks, and I am reading a lot more books than I was before.
Love that you legitimize audiobooks. I've recently discovered that my library system (Montreal doesn't just have a single library, but rather a network of connected libraries) offers ebooks and audiobooks online! I don't even have to leave the comfort of my home to get books. Sadly, a lot of the ones I'm most excited to read have wildly long waitlists (I'm talking like 12 weeks), but I add myself to the queue and read what's available in the meantime (I've maxed out the number of holds I'm allowed). Since the start of March, I've thus far read 12 books thanks to the magic of audiobooks:
- White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo
- Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi (I think it was on your recommendation)
- Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
- Dune by Frank Herbert
- The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
- The Horse and his Boy by C.S. Lewis
- The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo
- The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander
- Good Omens by Neil Gaiman
- Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren
- The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner (I think another of your recommendations)
- Hidden Figures Young Readers' Edition by Margot Lee Shetterly (it was more easily available than the regular version)
Lena, this is honestly amazing and I love it. The only category that doesn’t suit my lifestyle is Travel because I cycle to work, otherwise these categories are perfect and the strategies, oh my, perfection 🤌🏻 Thank you for sharing your strategies.
Definitely going to take the establishing hour tip and run with it! I'm an avid library reader so have limits on availability/format, but it's good to at least see and consider structure. Currently reading The Bread the Devil Knead at bedtime, Sense and Sensibility as an audiobook (Jane I love you but I cannot read classics physically), and Himawari House as an ebook. I usually steer away from ebooks on my phone as I don't enjoy reading pages of text like that, but it's so useful for graphic novels/comics!
Looove your ideas! I just finished "A psalm for the wild built" and it was a really comforting and poetic reading for me, also it's not very long so it's a quick read :)
my favourite place to read by far is on the plane - the disconnection from my phone, unbelievable aspect of being in a huge metal structure hurtling through the sky and simultaneously being stuck in a small boring space, converge to create the ideal environment for reading escapism.
The Marriage Portrait is wonderful! Definitely worth picking a time when you can savour it.
I listen to audiobooks while gardening too, this is really my favourite thing now that it's getting a bit warmer. ☀
I looove listening to audio books on the training when I'm leaving for the weekend. And during walks and cooking and eating alone and cleaning. 🥰💃🏼
I attempted it and did not get anywhere NEAR all 16. I’ll end up having done 10 and am pretty happy with that!
Great tips though, and excellent use of Trello 💯
Currently reading The Friend by Sigrid Nunez for last months book club 😨. It's alright, I'm already loving it!
Just love how nerdy this is 🥰🥰🥰
I'm definitely in a reading slump. So, this should be helpful. Thank you.
This is very cool! What an art!
What an insightful video, I especially loved the tip with the establishing hour!
I'm currently reading Vakuum by Phillip P- Peterson which is German sci-fi and I quite enjoy it. I prefer reading on the sofa or in a coffee shop, but I also really enjoy reading fanfiction on my phone no matter where I am.
Lol I had not realized I was actually following a similar strategy, but completely unconsciously. My categories might be a bit different. I have my Audiobooks(split by app 1.Audible 2.Scribd), my “main” (usually a book series I am reading/reserved for LONG books, fantasy series etc-Low priority/finish whenever, meant to be read slowly ), my “side” (shorter books, graphic novels or anything really-higher priority/more short term deadline ), my “scrollies”(something short and fun for my phone,separated by app 1)kindle 2)Scribd), my actual Kindle (1 book at a time usually). Out of those, anything on a device is what I use to pass out at night 😂 somehow I managed to knock 40 books so far like this in 2023.
Can't wait to hear which ones are your faves! Thanks for always reviewing these
I don't have to do a reading marathon, but this helps me a lot with reading in the first place!
Excellent video! I've really been wanting to fit more reading into my day to day life and this is a great video to reference, so thanks! I'm currently reading Demon Copperhead and it is on track to being one of my favourites. I'm not even half way through though 😅 although you'd forgive me for that given the length lol
My tip: If you're sitting down to read, have a goal in your head when you are going to stop. This could be reading for a certain amount of time or reading until page X. Personally, if i don't have a plan of when i'm going to stop reading, my brain keeps being like "Hey, how much longer are you going to sit here. There's a whole pile of laundry there and the kitchen should get cleaned at some point. There are a million other things you could be doing that are a better use of your time, so are we almost done now?" which makes it really hard to focus and enjoy what you're reading. If you have a specific goal, you can tell your brain "I'll do those things once i've reached this page or when the timer goes off, now shut up!"
the way I said ‘oh god’ when u said Memphis would be cozy as hell 🫢 it ended up being darker and more intense than I thought
You should come up with an acronym for 'early onset middel age urge to abbreviate everything into an acronym'.