4 quick tips to ignite your inner bibliophile

I am sure many of us at some point have fallen into the rut of a reading-phobia. It is not so much that we are afraid of books, more that we lack the fundamental motivation that is needed to turn the pages of any novel. And so, in order to aid you in this period of darkness, I have decided to concoct a list of tips and tricks to help you get back on track and reignite your inner bibliophile!:

1) Start simple! The easiest way to get back into reading after a long dry spell is baby steps! Start with a book that you know you will enjoy, perhaps it is one you have read before, or one you have been recommended a few times by friends. This way you are unlikely to give up as soon as you begin.

2) If you have been struggling for genre inspiration, try and branch into a genre you’ve never seen before to see whether you will enjoy it. If the first one you try doesn’t work for you, don’t give up – you will find one eventually. Write a list of some genres you think you might enjoy. This could include sci-fi, murder-mystery, romance, dystopia... the list is endless. And then set yourself a mission to find a few specifics that tickle your fancy and see how it goes from there.

3) If you have a large daunting pile of to-read books (of which I am guilty) try and cut it down into two or three you feel like you really want to read, or ones that you're most likely to get round to reading in the near future. It is important that you avoid feeling over faced so that you don’t give up before you have started.

4) Look to the future and try and set yourself an aim. If you are a slow reader aim to read a realistic amount of books in the year, maybe 4 or 5. Don’t feel disheartened if by the end of the year you don’t reach this goal because merely having something to aim for can work as the fuel you need to relight your passion for reading.

And so, I hope that this post inspires you to crack open one of those dusty novels that has been lying on your shelf for the past six months. Remember that you need to make reading a hobby rather than a chore. So next time you feel like binge-watching Friends rethink your options and remember all those poor and neglected the books waiting to be read...

M

xx