How to start reading books as a beginner (11 Tips on how to read 2 books a week)
Most people are frightened out and unmotivated when they hear people say I used to read three books a week or I read 100 books a year.
The truth of the matter is that yes most people are able to do so but in reality the way you think they read books is not actually how they do read and I have been in such state and was intrigued about it but at long last I was able to find my way through because even if I desire to read a fascinating book, I just get discourage over time as not all the pages or chapter will be interesting.
and that’s why in this post I will be answering questions such as “how to read books for beginners? or how do I start reading books as a beginner? or where should I start from? or even so what is the easiest way to read books?”
Here are 11 tips on how to start reading books as a beginner:
Read the title well and see recommendations
Check the number of pages and devise a timeline
Try to get a hard copy
Read the blurb of a book
Read the preface or introductory page
Go through the outline of the book
Read what attracts you the most (by reading thoroughly or skimming)
When it gets boring read something new
Take notes and highlight important information’s
Tell a summary
Audiobooks are nice gem
So let’s look into each in details.
Read the title well and see recommendations
Knowing the title of the book you are about to read and searching for comments made by people on the book will not only allow you to fully decide and be encouraged or motivated to read the book but also give you more insights on why people choose to read the book or what they have come across while reading the book.
Check the number of pages and devise a timeline
Checking the number of page will allow you to know how long the book is and how long will it take you to finish it. You can devise a timeline which will help you to know how many pages to read a day over the period of time you wish to read the book.
For example, if you decide to read a 200 pages’ book in a month then you need to read 200/30 which is approximately 7 pages a day.
Note: that the number of pages you have decided to read every day will vary because some days will be so good that while you are reading, you find something fascinating and you tend to read more while some days will be quite boring and even to read a page might be difficult. Just remember to keep track.
Try to get a hard copy
One of the mistake I made is trying to read the PDF version of a book though most of the books I do read is a soft copy but getting a hardcopy makes it more easy to read than on a mobile phone or laptop due to not only health issues (such as eye strain) but also the flexibility of walking around with a book.
Read the blurb of a book
Mostly books by authors do have blurb (a short description of a book written and used for mostly promotional purpose or written at the back of a book). Reading this, will give you a hint on what to expect from the book.
Read the preface or introductory page
This is one of the fascinating page which you should love to read as it expands more on the subject matter of the book and will enlighten you more because the purpose of a preface is to tell you what the book is about, how the chapters are structured and also how to even go about studying it or even so the reason why you have to study it in that manner.
At this preface, sometimes you do not need to further your reading as you already know what the book entails and this is what most people do (in addition to skimming through which will be covered) and they tell you they read 100 books a year but not from A to Z rather on the surface level whereby if you ask them what the book is about they would be able to tell you.
go through the outline of the book
It will tell you more of what to expect in the book and what each chapters are here to give you. Sometimes you will find an excerpt written on each outline, that’s another keypoint so take advantage of that.
Read what attracts you the most (by reading thoroughly or skimming)
From the chapters of the book read what attracts you the most instead of reading everything since as a beginner you need that stand that would hold you on to keep studying or reading.
You can read a chapter thoroughly from the beginning to the end (full stop) or just skim through and hold important information.
when it gets boring read something new
Most at times while reading a book you will reach a readers block where by even what seem to fascinate you will no longer do so and in such state go ahead and read other books because it might give you a new opening which will help you fast track what you have been previously reading.
Take notes and highlight important information’s
Take notes and highlights the important portion in the book that seems very important or you will need to remember often because this kind of information can be the summary of the chapter you are reading.
Tell a summary
After taking notes and highlighting stuffs, tell a summary of what you have read from the book, which will be a thing that will stick with you overtime and you would be able to say I have read so and so book and this is what it entails.
Audiobooks are nice gem
As technology has advanced, books have been transcribed or recorded as audio which you can listen to in your leisure time or even while working and by doing so you can cover up on so many books in hours and all you need is to focus on the main points in the book.
miscellaneous tips
Exercise your eyes and give yourself break so as to assimilate what you have learnt so far.
Read blog posts on the book you are about to read because, you never know if the importance part of the book is already summarized in that post.
Conclusion
I hope these tips will help you through in reading more books effectively with fun.
