How to Read More Books in 2022
We’re well on our way to the second half of the year, and with that comes the pressure of finishing as many books on your TBR as you can before the year ends.
First, let’s acknowledge that there’s nothing wrong with not meeting your reading goals. Life happens and having time to calmly read a book is a luxury for many people. As long and you’re having fun, that’s all that matters.
However, if you have the time and energy to read, and feel like you’re up for the challenge, then these tips will help. Give any (or all) of these tips a try and watch you ‘Read’ tally increase in no time.
(Note: There are no affiliate links in this article. I’m just a fan.)
1. Give audiobooks a chance
I’ll be the first to say that my first attempt at audiobooks didn’t go very well. I absolutely hated the narrator and had a hard time focusing on anything other than how much I didn’t want to be listening to their voice.
Beyond that issue, I didn’t know what to do with my hands. A lot of people say we should just multitask, but focusing on two things at once is simply a talent I do not have. So, for a long time, audiobooks were a no-go for me.
However, I recently discovered the magic of listening to an audiobook while you read the print or digital version of the same book. It may seem like overkill, but it really helps me focus on what I’m reading, which means I can go through a lot more books than usual. Give it a chance!
(Note: By the way, you don’t necessarily have to buy an audiobook. Try services like Libby and borrow your audiobooks and digital books for free.)
2. Read short books
There’s a special kind of reading slump where you’re still willing to read books, it’s just that anything longer than 150 pages is temporarily unappealing.
That’s where short books come in. Reading a short book is the best way to get more books under your belt and build reading momentum. The commitment doesn’t feel as big and it doesn’t take as long for you to get the dopamine hit of checking a book off your list. Win-win.
If you’re into spicy books, check out my article on short spicy book recommendations:
(Note: Don’t let anyone shame you for reading short books. They do count. Nobody should gatekeep what other people like to read.)
3. Make friends on Goodreads
There are many ways to find people and join groups on Goodreads. I happened to find one reviewer whose recommendations never fail me. From her recommendations, I’ve found some of my favorite reads of all time.
Not only will connecting with others on Goodreads help you make friends, but it’ll also help you read more books. How? You’ll be exposing yourself to many more awesome books that your reading buddies have read, which is a great way to deter reading slumps and keep yourself reading.
4. Leave books unfinished
It sounds counterintuitive when I put it that way, but hear me out. Many people feel obligated to finish a book once they start it, even if the book sucks. It might seem like forcing yourself to finish a book you don’t like will help you read more books, but it won’t.
Have you ever noticed how completing a task becomes a million times more difficult the moment you realize that you don’t want to do it? The same applies to reading a sucky book. Save yourself the reading slump and drop a book if you’re not liking it. This way, you’ll read more books than if you forced yourself to read something you don’t like.
5. Explore a new genre
If you find yourself not as interested in your TBR as you were, you might be burned out on a specific genre. Romance might be fantastic, but maybe you can get experimental and try out a cozy mystery. Or if all you read is mystery, maybe it’s time to give horror a try.
Exploring a new genre makes your reading experience more exciting. Who knows? You might end up finding a new favorite genre, a genre that keeps you devouring books and increasing your ‘Read’ tally.
6. Try graphic novels, manga, or comics
My favorite comics are by Sarah Andersen, just because they make me laugh and smile every time I pick them up.
7. Visit your local library
For many people, books are a luxury that they simply might not be able to afford. This is where a local library comes in. If you don’t want to or can’t spend money on the books you want to read, visit your local library.
A lot of libraries have great selections of books in every genre. Typically, if your nearest library doesn’t have a book, you can still request it from other libraries in the same county. Books should be accessible to everyone, and libraries help that ideal come into fruition.
8. Join a book club
Book clubs are a fantastic way to meet new people and bond over your shared interest in books. The best part is that, thanks to the internet, book clubs nowadays are a a dime a dozen. Here are some of the book clubs I found after found a bit of research:
- Horror Aficionados
- Paranormal Romance and Urban Fiction
- Christian Fiction Devourers
- Silent Book Club (no required reading, local meet ups near you)
- Shh… (for smut lovers)
If you don’t see a book club that interests you on this list, look for something that matches your style on Google, Goodreads, or even Facebook Groups.
9. Participate in reading sprints
You don’t have to be part of a specific community to join in reading sprints. Many YouTubers post their own reading sprints on YouTube, which you can join anytime you want to feel like you’re reading with other people.
If you’re already part of a book club, you might suggest they start doing reading sprints online. The idea is to set yourself for success by creating an environment where reading can thrive and you can feel connected to other readers like you.
10. Stock up on reading supplies
I typically don’t need a reason to stock up on reading supplies. Any excuse to buy highlighters and page flags is good enough for me. Stationery addiction aside, reading supplies are genuinely a good way to read more books, whether that’s because they increase motivation, or they make reading easier.
Here’s some of my favorite reading supplies:
- Page flags (to annotate while you read)
- Book-page holder (to keep your book open as you read)
- Rechargeable book light (to read in the dark)
- Book holder (to prop your book up)
- Gel highlighters (book highlighters that don’t bleed)
- Transparent sticky notes (to mark up a book without actually writing on it)
- Rolling cart (for taking your books with you anywhere in your home)
Try any of these tools to make your reading experience more enjoyable.
11. Check out BookTok or BookTube
BookTok is the perfect way to get book reviews, watch funny book content, discover new books, and connect with fellow readers. It’s no wonder this community is so big right now. If you haven’t already, make a TikTok account and start enjoying some of the book content it offers.
There’s also BookTube, which may not be as hot as BookTok right now, but it’s still a very popular reading community. Like TikTok, YouTube also BookTubers to create a community for themselves. Some of my favorite BookTubers have Discord channels where they talk all things books and more.
Here are some of my favorite BookTubers:
12. Have a readathon
Finally, you can motivate yourself to read more often by conducting a readathon. Most readathons are solo endeavors, and they last any length of time you want. Many people do 24-hour readathons, while others challenge themselves to read for 48 hours.
Whatever works for you is what you should do.I’ve already learned that I can’t stay awake for a full 24 hours, so my readathons are very relaxed, and allow me to sleep whenever I’m tired.
If you’re part of an online reading community, they might conduct group readathons, where for a set period of time, the group has reading sprints, break times, and online video calls to talk about their readathon.
If you’re not part of an online reading community, I recommend you try making a YouTube playlist of ‘read with me’ videos so you don’t feel so alone while reading. Here are some of my favorites:
TLDR
The best way to read more books in 2022 is to motivate yourself to keep reading. The are many ways to motivate yourself. Here are the most helpful:
- Try listening to an audiobook while reading the same print book
- Read shorter books
- Make friends on Goodreads
- Do not finish books you don’t enjoy
- Try out new book genres
- Try graphic novels, manga, or comics
- Take advantage of your local library
- Find and join a book club
- Participate in reading sprints
- Stock up on reading supplies
- Check out BookTok or BookTube
- Have a readathon (by yourself or with others)
Happy reading!
