On Book Choice and Enjoying Reading

If you’re on a journey of growing as a reader, there is one surefire way to kill the reading spark before it fans into a flame: choose a book that just doesn’t work for you. I wish I could give you a nice, neat list of “ten characteristics for books you’ll love,” but I think reading is much more individualistic than that. So instead I’m going to give you some tips that will hopefully help you get to know yourself better so you can, in turn, make book selections that really work for your unique interests and personality. I also want to point out that it is 100% okay to abandon a book that just isn’t working for you; sometimes we get derailed in our reading efforts because we feel like we have to finish a book that we hate, but if the goal is to enjoy reading then that makes no sense. But if you follow these tips below, you shouldn’t find yourself needing to abandon books as often.

1. Know where you’ve been. The best way to make good book decisions is to track your reading. You can do this in whatever way you prefer: an app like GoodReads, a reading journal, a printable tracker, or (if you’re really fancy like me 😉) a simple note on your phone. The longer you track your reading, the more you will notice patterns. Maybe there are certain times of year where you read more fiction, like Summer break or over the Winter holidays. This is definitely true for me, and I also read a lot more nonfiction at the start of both the calendar year and the homeschool year. I’ve also learned from doing this that I do best reading classic literature in small doses spread throughout the year. And, as I shared in my last post, tracking my reading allowed me to realize that I was finishing more books once I switched to mostly physical instead of e-reading. You may make totally different observations from your own tracking, but just remember that this is only DATA; it’s not a commentary on how good of a reader you are. Instead it’s just helping you pay attention to your own reading.

2. Know where you are currently. What season are you currently in? Think both literal calendar season and also season of life. If you just brought a new baby home from the hospital, maybe it’s not the time to try to read Les Miserables or War and Peace. Instead you can focus on lighthearted fiction that is going to fill your cup during long nursing sessions. A lot of homeschool moms read more heavily when they are on break from school. I’ve also learned not to read too much practical nonfiction if I’m not in a season to actually apply the things I’m learning. When I look back over my reading log each year, I can usually tell what were busy/stressful months simply by the type of reading I did.

3. Know where you’re going. Why do you want to be a reader? Are you looking for relaxation and comfort? Do you want to grow and think more deeply about big ideas? Do you want to learn practical skills to apply to other areas of life? Do you want to raise kids who love reading and you know the best way to do so is to model it for them? All of these are wonderful answers, and I imagine you can identify with multiple of them. But don’t underestimate the importance of answering them; sometimes we get so caught up in numerical reading goals– I’m going to read 12 or 20 or 50 books this year!-- and we forget that what really matters is who we are becoming. Feel free to set the numerical goal, too, if you find it helps you; but start first with your bigger picture goal so you know where you’re going.

4. Get to know the reading world. Just know that you won’t love recommendations from everyone out there. Spend time reading books about books, follow bookstagram accounts, and listen to podcasts on reading. And over time you’ll start to notice which readers offer recommendations that always sit right with you. Don’t be frustrated if there’s only a few who always have solid recommendations, and know that it’s okay to like some but not all recommendations from others. It can also be helpful to find places you love buying books from; I’m never going to tell you to only buy books from independent bookstores. As much as I love that ideal, I don’t think that for people who read a lot of books it’s practical financially. BUT if you can find a local bookstore that has a book selection you love, it will help you discover more great books. Also, don’t miss what a wonderful resource bookstore owners and librarians are; I promise they love books and will be so excited if you ask them for advice on books. People who enter these professions are experts on reading and have a wealth of knowledge to share. 

I hope you can come away today thinking a little more deeply about what sort of books are a good fit for you. Don’t forget that reading is a journey, and it’s okay if you don’t have it all figured out today. Keep trying new books, be willing to let go of ones that are flops, and, most of all, have fun!