Stack of books piling up? There are many ways to read more in 2024. Photo / Getty Images
Stack of books piling up? There are many ways to read more in 2024. Photo / Getty Images
OPINION
Made a resolution to do more reading this year? Have a wishlist of new releases you want to get through in 2024? From packing books in your bag to using digital tools and community resources (like the library) these handy tips could help.
Is that stack of books sitting next to your bed part of your 2024 New Year’s resolution? As someone who set a goal in 2023 to read 25 books, and got all the way to 22, I feel like I am semi-qualified to help you conquer the Everest of your reading pile.
The year prior, I read a maximum of five novels, not only because I had two kids under 3, but because the lives of people I didn’t know on Instagram ended up winning out over those of the protagonists in my paperbacks.
In a world that constantly demands our attention with endless scrolling and countless notifications, it’s time to reinvigorate your passion for reading. Unsurprisingly, the hardest part is learning to let your phone play second fiddle to your fiction, so let’s start there.
Whenever you’re on your own, you probably reach for your phone to give you something to do with your hands to pass the time. Perhaps you’re in a doctor’s waiting room, or you’ve arrived early to meet a friend for lunch. Instead of mindlessly scrolling TikTok, take the opportunity to churn through a few pages of your book.
Making sure that your book is added to your keys, wallet and phone checklist every time you leave the house means you can make the most of those quiet moments. You’ll be surprised how quickly a few minutes here and there help make headway.
Buy an e-reader
Find books too cumbersome to lug around? Invest in a Kindle or e-reader. With the ability to house thousands of books, an e-reader is the solution to packing light. On Kindle, both new releases and classics are available to purchase through the Amazon store and will appear on your device within seconds of purchase.
If an e-reader isn’t in the budget, download the Kindle app to your phone instead. With a large phone screen, you’ll reap all the benefits without the extra piece of tech.
E-readers can make reading on the go or while travelling far easier.
Download book samples
Whenever someone mentions a must-read title, instead of jotting it down, jump onto your Kindle and download a free sample. Then once you’ve finished one book, you’ve got a line-up of samples to test before you invest in your next one.
Often comprised of the first chapter or two of the book, a sample gives you a meaty taster to try before you buy. This also helps reduce the risk factor of starting a book you’re not compelled to read.
Shop at your local bookstore
I had the best customer service experience at Novel Bookshop in Herne Bay recently, which was a testament to the importance of supporting local bookstores. Primarily run by passionate bibliophiles, their knowledge on authors, genres and storytelling cannot be matched by large retailers.
If you’re into a new genre but don’t know what to read next, I guarantee they’ll have the answer. Even if you have an e-reader, be sure to support your local booksellers when you can, especially when buying books as gifts.
For a personal experience, visit an independent book store, like Unity Books on Auckland's High St. Photo / Rebecca Zephyr Thomas
Join Goodreads or The Storygraph
Joining Goodreads or The Storygraph helps keep you in the loop with what your friends are reading and how they rated each title. Goodreads is a subsidiary of Amazon, which makes the path to purchase very easy if you have a Kindle, and the app will automatically keep track of what you’re reading on your device.
If you have set a goal for your reading this year, logging your books in these apps keeps you motivated by cataloguing the titles you’ve read and want to read.
I’m part of a book club that exists purely on Facebook Messenger, where friends and friends of friends share their latest reads. It doesn’t involve any IRL meetings or mandatory texts, it’s just a way to discover new books and genres.
If you like the idea of making reading more social, meeting up with friends over a drink or coffee to discuss a book you’ve all read together is a wonderful way to encourage consistent reading.
Social media is also a treasure trove of book recommendations. On Instagram and Facebook, Oprah Winfrey and Reese Witherspoon’s book clubs both have thousands of loyal followers and scores of recommended reading. If you’re on TikTok, you can really narrow down your niche on #booktok and watch detailed reviews from bookworms around the world.
It took having children to rediscover the library, but what a rediscovery it has been! My favourite part about the library is not the free access to books but being able to use the Auckland Libraries website to search for and request books. Once requested, you are added to the waitlist for that book and it will be delivered to the library of your choice to be picked up once it’s your turn.
Pay a visit to your local library for plenty of inspiring (and free) reading.
These days, you can loan your books for four weeks, and if no one else has requested them, they’ll automatically renew for another month, giving you ample time to plow through your latest novel.
It goes without saying, but the easiest way to read more books is just to open up that novel and read, whenever you get a chance. Set a goal for 2024, make it achievable, and don’t let anything — especially your phone — get in your way.
